P.S. to Love Bugs
My friend wanted to know what are Love Bugs….so I stopped by myflorida.com and got the scoop…by extension agent Jim Moll:
In Florida love bugs have two generations each year. The first generation emerges in the spring. With this year’s dry spring the insect was not much of a problem. But the warm summer months and frequent rain are ideal for the second generation to develop…Whoaaaa, Jim, you must have written this a different year!
Anyway, the insect is actually a black fly with a red thorax. The males are a little smaller than the females. We usually see them in pairs, hence the common name love bug. Fortunately the love bug is a harmless creature. They do not sting or bite. The larval form, which goes unnoticed, lives on decaying vegetation. While this might sound disgusting they are important in the breakdown of organic matter, which in turn helps to incorporate nutrients into our soil.
After the larvae pupate in moist areas, the adult fly will emerge. It is the adult fly most of us hate. The adults will feed on the nectar of a wide variety of plants. Their feeding is similar to butterflies and will not harm any plant.
Love bugs fly during the daylight hours when temps are above 68 degrees F. Because they congregate in large numbers, the most vulnerable thing is our vehicles. Windshields can become obscured, radiators can be clogged with dead insects and the fatty tissues (ugh) bug splatter and they can damage a vehicle’s finish if not removed quickly!
In my case, they are attracted to light/white colors…they can completely turn a white surface to black when they gather in such large numbers. This year they completely covered our front door. We swatted them away as we tried to get into the house… They come usually in May and September, thus the 2 generations…this year they have been exceeding thick in numbers and nuisance factor…
There you have it!….have a great Sunday!
yikes
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they sound like a cross between mosquitos and fleas… lol….obviously unique to your country……I hope they never migrate south…..we have enough of other suckers!!! lol thanks for the explanation. huggles
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That’s a lot of protein going to waste. Could get a sample with a vacuum cleaner, light bulb to attract and dry & try it for fish food
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RYN: thanks. The land area is quite big..I will check exact details tomorrow. The two little cottages are old and small….your doctor friend would probably want to demolish them and build himself a nice big place….I can’t imagine a doctor would actually want to move into one of these. But he could be the landlord meantime….I’ll get back to you. hugs and smiles
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ps…that said…tell your anathesiologist friend that NZ is actually crying out for good doctors of all specialties….tell him to keep trying, from Australia….NZ is a better place to live although the pay is possibly better over there. more hugs
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chuckle, leave it to Willy to try to make it more useful
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Well, I have seen love bugs off and on all my life, Ollie, but never knew all this about them! Thanks for sharing it. Big hugs,
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we have shad flies here in the spring. They last for a week or ten days. They are so thick, you don’t dare open your mouth when you are outside. *smile*
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Hey! Ollie, you big teaser you. Okay, I do have some luck sometimes, but not all on my own. Glad we don’t have shad flies–not seen many love bugs here this year, but sure they have just missed me. Didn’t know all that you shared about them. Willy! Are you going to be vacuuming them up for the fish? But, I am the most unlikely Garden Club pres ever–it was a desparate move on their part.
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What really strikes me as funny is that I bought a rain barrel in this the driest year we have seen since moving here in 1973! Hopeless at trends, I’d say. LOL!
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Oh…..didn’t your bulbs make it in Florida? What a shame!
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RYNs: finally got the details for you..even if no use. The section is 964 sqm….the two cottages are small and there is ample room to build another for you guys…..couldn’t we have fun??? lol thanks for trying anyway….I am resign to things now…..hugs and love P
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Thanks for your note and happy to be able to note you again. 🙂 Them love bugs sound like all other things on earth – good and bad. I hate flies! Keep well!
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RYN: re your camera…have you cleared all the photos out of it onto your computer? You need to delete them once you’ve done that…sounds like your card is full. Once cleared you can take more. AS for the instructions, I will try and find time but things are moving fast here..I have found a new place and move in less than a fortnight ( you’re the first to know)…..will try though. hugs & love
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No,we didn’t hike.I love to do that kind of thing but hubby doesn’t.Next trip we will go to the Smokies and see some of the beauties that God created for us.And we have decided to stay longer too.Hubby is ready to go back – no vacation for a few years and he now knows what he has been missing.As a child he never took a family vacation but my family did lots of camping and visiting gp’s in mts.Bls
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Oh my, I remember those pesky things in New Orleans. We used to be blanketed with them. The carport was covered! Such weird little creatures, but at least they don’t bite!
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Good Lord, Ollie, the hurricanes have started. Be safe!
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