Hi Terry, you know I've not seen a single Love Bug yet? I wonder if the smoke is keeping them away from my area so they are more in yours?

I noticed your icon on your profile. I'm curious why you decide to use the Eye of Ra (Horus)? I actually have a strong connection to this symbol and it has seemed to follow me throughout my life.

Terry,

okay, I'll bite. what the heck is a love bug? How about a photo?

I hope they stay over there.  I just saw one here in TX yesterday, maybe it will be a light year for us.  They love light colors and when we have a lot they cover my light colored patio.  We only get them over here for about a month in the spring and another month in the fall.  My Dad was here one year when they arrived and he was so intrigued by their flying united.

I have always heard that they were from an experiment that went array in Florida, have you heard where they came from?

I spent nearly a year in Tampa and at least a year in Deerfield Beach. This bug thing completely freaked me out. Along with lightening that strikes 2 feet outside my window.

Lysa, yeah it could be the smoke.

Gary, here are two love bugs ummmmmmm, connected so to speak

Marchal, they are actually flies that came from Central America and are working their way up the east coast

Robert A. - I lived in Egypt for two years and am also drawn to the Eye.  I thought it would make a good logo for my business.  What is your draw?

Thanks for commenting everyone!

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

Great photo and explanation Terry LOL! Being a non bug lover for some reason these bugs don't bother me all that much.. go figure.. Oh and I did hit two on the way home and some sprinkles, yay!

Lysa - were the sprinkles enough to wash off the squashed love bugs?:-)  I haven't watched the weather yet tonight.  Guess I should cause my real job is outside and if the weather is bad I don't have to work. Yee haw!  But from what I've heard so far rain is a comin!

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

Terry///\\\ As a child visiting my Grandparents in Bradenton, I remember riding my bike FAST down a hill, and getting love bugsin my teeth,eyes and nose...some " connection" eh (I'm grinning..luckily I'm not in FL or I might get bugged right about now)

OK, I'm confused. I thought being bitten by the Love Bug was a good thing. I didn't know they existed in real life. Now I have to re evaluate my whole reality!

janeAnne - I saw a guy on a motorcycle today, no helmet, no goggles.  He must have had bugs stuffing every orifice!

Dena -  these love bugs don't bite, they just squish all over your car.  And Dena, there is no reality in Colorado:-)

And I like it that way  ; )

Dena - AMEN!  Why do you think we're planning to move out of Florida.  We've had way too many reality checks lately.  Too bad our property in Colorado doesnt have water or we'd probably end up there, and join you in la la land:-)

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

They're out in Tampa...I hate when they crawl on me when I'm in the convertible...Yuck!

Terry,

Thanks very apt description.

Terry, the rain and wind blew out the smoke from Daytona and blew in the Love Bugs, its officially Love Bug season! They were everywhere on the drive home, and no rain didnt wash off the streaks :(

Oh yeah Lysa, I swallowed one today!  Glad the smoke is gone from your area.  I need to update myself on the fire.  Good to hear from you!

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

there was swarms by the millions in the industrial area in melbourne today.

Oh yeah on that!  They are definitely worse than I've ever seen them.  I'm getting tired of washing my car!

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

I personally love the daily baths I have to give my car this time of year!  I wouldn't change for the world though! I take the bugs over snow, ice and cold any day of the week!

Each to his own Chris!  I'd rather spend the car washing time at the beach.  Yesterday I waxed my windshield with car wax and today no splats!  Just some little specks.  I think they hit the windshield and slide away instead of splatting and sticking.

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

I am obviously confused because here in MN love bugs have wheels and are usually driven by little old ladies with a flower & vase on the dash!  They are staged vehicles of course!

Ha ha Kathleen, you are right.  We have that species here as well.  Apparently there are several species of Love Bugs!

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

Terri,

I had never seen so many lovebugs like I saw yesterday here in Saint Cloud.  It looked like, I imagine, a swarm of locust must look like, I know than other than messing up your car or getting everywhere they are harmless, but it was kinda creepy and scary for a minute.  I agree that probably the smoke is making them stay in swarms instead of being spread all over. 
I also heard that they were made at UCF to counter the mosquito population. =) LOL, by the way not true, they come from Central America.  I wish it were true though, I rather take them than the mosquitoes, don't you agree?

Hola Carmen, son sí de America Central. Hacen realmente el enjambre. Movíamos hacia atrás aquí desde el EL Paso y funcionamos en los enjambres enormes en Alabama. Personalmente, como believer del cambio del clima, pienso que los números tienen algo hacer con eso. ¡Estaré alegre cuando se van! ¡Y sí en los skeeters!

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

Terri,

That was a good try! Here is what I think you said:

Hello Carmen, yes they are from Central America. They do make a big swarm. When we moved here from EL Pase we found big swarms in Alabama. Personally I believe the climate change is affeccting their numbers.  I would be happy when they are gone! and yes to the Skeeters! (not sure what skeeter is).

Buenas noches y hasta la proxima!  Good night and until next time!

Hi Carmen, thats pretty much exactly what I said.  I just love Babel Fish.  Couldn't do justice to spanish without it!  Skeeters are mosquitos. 

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

Spray the front of your vehicle with cooking spray to make all bugs less likely to stick, and easy to wash off when they do.  Simple.

Yea, it is that time of year for those pesting insects.  I can not stand them.  Hey, does the cooking spray really work and will it hurt my paint

Hi Dianne, I imagine the cooking spray would work and shouldnt hurt the paint.  I thought of doing that but went for car wax instead.  Next Fall I'll try the spray.  Interesting that the bugs are still flying around, three weeks after the onslaught.  This is definitely a weird Spring.

Terry Haugen - STAGE it RIGHT!

We went to Orlanda Fla. the 1st day of June. We went to Nafa Air Space, ran  into Love bugs. They ruin't the paint on our new 2007 Camry. We could not wash  them off. We are now having to have the whole front of the car and the top painted. $1300. They ate the paint off. We didn't not know anything about the bugs. That was our first and last trip to Florida. We will stay in N.C.

Yep they do that to your paint here!  I spray the front of my car with cooking oil, after a tip from a fellow Floridian posted here on AR.  They are baaaaaaaaak again.  Its time for the Fall onslaught.  If you happen to return here during love bug season, don't forget the cooking spray, AND the sunscreen!

Terry,

   There's a well-known logical fallacy often referred to by it's Latin description, which is "Post hoc, ergo, propter hoc".  This means, "after this, therefore, because of this".  Sometimes things are just a coincidence.  Although it's fashionable among many these days to attribute anything different to "Global Warming", the fact is there always have been and always will be variations in climate, weather, seasons, rainfall, snowfall and animal behavior for reasons that have nothing whatsoever to do with "Global Warming".

   Those who are interested in reading more about this logical fallacy can do so at http://en.wikopedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc.

Really?  That was not the intent of my post.  I was just musing about the greater numbers of love bugs this year than in the past.  Geez, why do people have to make a big deal out of nothing?