[Slackinoff]

Every so often we get swarmed with love bugs here in East Texas, but check out Florida right now.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/...orida-womans-fishing-trip-ruined-by-love-bugs

 

[WeeWilly]

The meek shall inherit the earth...

 

[faawrenchbndr]

Its normal.

Wash those bastages off within three days or they will etch your paint

 

[Lowcountry_Glocker]

We had a post about these not long ago. I thought we got them pretty bad here and made the comment that while annoying, they were harmless. One poster said (from FL) we must not get them bad here. Welp, I agree now. they ain't this bad.

I've noticed they like direct sunlight and are attracted to idling cars. IDK if it is the noise/vibration or heat being put off, but they tend to swarm idling cars. They're dumb, and harmless. Personally I welcome them every year bc it is a sure sign it is finally summer. but if they were that bad, I may think otherwise!!

 

[M&P15T]

Bats. Florida needs millions of bats.

Build a bat cave, and they will come.

 

[Slackinoff]

The meek shall inherit the earth...

The King of Quips has spoken!

Its normal.

Wash those bastages off within three days or they will etch your paint

Indeed, I think they also contribute to fogged headlight lens.

I've noticed they like direct sunlight and are attracted to idling cars. IDK if it is the noise/vibration or heat being put off, but they tend to swarm idling cars. They're dumb, and harmless.

"But why are they attracted to roads and vehicles? As it turns out — tests have shown that lovebugs are attracted to automobile exhaust that has been irradiated with UV light (i.e., sunlight). Why? It has been proposed that the chemicals in car exhaust, aldehydes and formaldehydes, are similar to the chemicals released by decaying organic matter. (they lay their eggs in decaying organic matter) "

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-are-lovebugs-flying-a_b_1516335?guccounter=1

Bats. Florida needs millions of bats.

Build a bat cave, and they will come.

Not sure if they will eat them, apparently they are bitter.

"Plus, lovebugs are reported to be bitter and do not have many natural enemies. The red patch behind the head may be a warning coloration."

 

[Hannie Caulder]

We had a warm spring this year, and a lot of rain. I noticed the first ones in March, which is the earliest I ever saw them.

Good thing they don't bite LOL.


Some interesting facts about lovebugs: They mate for 3-4 days, after which the male (the smaller one) dies but remains coupled to the female (the larger one). The female carries the dead male carcass around for several more days until she lays her fertilized eggs.

 

[ReaPer105]

I've seen them that bad here before. Some springs and late summers are worse than others. They just started showing up a couple of weeks ago and aren't horrible, at least so far this spring.

 

[Slackinoff]

We had a warm spring this year, and a lot of rain. I noticed the first ones in March, which is the earliest I ever saw them.

Good thing they don't bite LOL.

I found out they have a larger cousin that also does not bite, but might do some damage if you take a direct hit while say, cruising on a bay boat. Thwaack!

 

[badge315]

I've lived in Florida my entire life, and I've never seen them swarm over open water like that.

 

[dx_caliber]

My mother-in-law's car half way through a trip from central Florida to Ft. Myers this past weekend.

 

[dx_caliber]

My patrol car looks pretty similar these days after an afternoon/evening shift. Luckily, I can get that washed for free, though.

 

[snerd]

Dang! I thought this was a VW thread!

 

[Slackinoff]

Someone could invent a product for road vehicles similar to what we used back when I endurance raced off road on two wheels - we used "tear offs" or "roll offs". They were a must in wet conditions. I bet @WeeWilly has seen a similar product for car windscreens during his road racing?

 

[Slackinoff]

Dang! I thought this was a VW thread!

I would "love a bug" if it could pop a wheelie like that!

 

[Nemesis.]

Bats. Florida needs millions of bats.

Build a bat cave, and they will come.

Florida used to have millions of bats but the skeeters et em all.

 

[Slackinoff]

Florida used to have millions of bats but the skeeters et em all.

Dang, those are some serious skeeters.

 

[WeeWilly]

Someone could invent a product for road vehicles similar to what we used back when I endurance raced off road on two wheels - we used "tear offs" or "roll offs". They were a must in wet conditions. I bet @WeeWilly has seen a similar product for car windscreens during his road racing?

View attachment 566078

Yes, in open wheeled racing, pretty much everyone uses tear off shields to keep their vison intact. All the closed faced helmets I ever owned, came with a visor with little buttons on the side where you alternately stretch and layer tear offs with their little handles sticking out, making it easy to just grab and tear off when they become fouled.

All the normal stuff like bugs, oil and coolant will take your vision away very quickly. With rain itself, it isn't as much an issue as wind itself tends to keep your visor clear, but at the club level, in every race there are a couple numbskulls who are spewing both oil and/or coolant and even as you tend to go by those guys pretty quickly, it will wreck your vison in seconds.

It has been a while since I raced, maybe they have even more high tech solutions today.

 

[Haldor]

Mayflies can be incredible.

 

[WeeWilly]

Mayflies can be incredible.

Especially when you are fly fishing. Basically the only way I catch anything.