The lovebugs return [Archive]

WDWdriver

04-27-2011, 10:40 PM

They're baaaaack! The infamous lovebugs have returned to the Central Florida area for their annual May and September infestation. You may not be bothered by them so much in the parks, but if you are driving around on area highways you will find your car's windshield and front end covered with them.

Lovebugs are not harmful to humans, but they can seriously damage the paint on your car.

Scar

04-27-2011, 10:57 PM

Ron,

Do you have any info on whether or not the car rental companies charge extra for cleaning this?

04-27-2011, 11:14 PM

Jeff, I've never heard of a surcharge for that.

For those who've never seen the results of the love bug invasion (and this is a relatively mild case) ~~

Dopey's Girl

04-27-2011, 11:23 PM

Gross! They really creep me out!

tadshome

04-28-2011, 02:37 AM

They look horrible, you mentioned that they are around in May and September, is it the whole of September that they are around? I am really not very good with bugs :sad:

04-28-2011, 07:13 AM

They look horrible, you mentioned that they are around in May and September, is it the whole of September that they are around? I am really not very good with bugs :sad:

No, they usually stick around for about two weeks, then disappear as quickly as they arrived.

Luv4WDW

04-28-2011, 07:29 AM

Do they do anything in the parks or resorts to keep these at bay? Hopefully they won't be quite so bad for our May 7th arrival... it's coming up so quickly! Surely a bug can't ruin our trip! :mickey:

tadshome

04-28-2011, 07:59 AM

No, they usually stick around for about two weeks, then disappear as quickly as they arrived.

Please tell me that this is towards the end of September?

lovinmesomedisney

04-28-2011, 08:19 AM

I have gone every year in September for the past 9 years, and I have experienced love bugs. They are really not that much of a problem. Like others say, I guess if you are driving or outside the Disney area maybe, but we have never had such a problem that it would ruin a trip.

pandkx3

04-28-2011, 08:43 AM

We live in southern Mississippi and are all too familiar with the infamous love bug. These little creatures are all over everything, including you, your car, your house, your pet...very annoying! But the lovebug season is relatively short, so if you can remember to keep your mouth closed when you walk outside, you'll be fine..;)

potzie

04-28-2011, 08:59 AM

disneymom15

04-28-2011, 09:21 AM

Do they do anything in the parks or resorts to keep these at bay? Hopefully they won't be quite so bad for our May 7th arrival... it's coming up so quickly! Surely a bug can't ruin our trip! :mickey:

They didn't do anything at POP century to keep them at bay. They were everywhere. The parks were fine, no sign of them.

twinboyz

04-29-2011, 02:41 PM

Oh boy! So if they last about two weeks..anyone know when they hit WDW? was it the 28th of April? just wondering what to expect on May 10th. Thanks!

WDWdriver

04-29-2011, 02:53 PM

Oh boy! So if they last about two weeks..anyone know when they hit WDW? was it the 28th of April? just wondering what to expect on May 10th. Thanks!

Well, it's not like they are suddenly here and then suddenly gone. We have been seeing a few here and there for a couple of weeks. But now the numbers are growing rapidly, and they will soon be everywhere. I expect them to still be bothersome until mid-May when they will begin to taper off and eventually disappear.

twinboyz

04-29-2011, 04:01 PM

thanks!

CU Tiger

05-02-2011, 12:50 PM

Never let the love bugs dry on your car. The acids in their bodies can ruin your paint. Wash them off as often as you can.
There are coatings you can put on your car before you leave to make them easier to get off. The solution is like a WD-40 and feels greasy, but is ok for your car. FYI.:mickey:

Frog

05-03-2011, 09:58 AM

Just make sure to close your mouth while riding Big Thunder!!!

Pop Centurion

05-03-2011, 11:02 AM

They didn't do anything at POP century to keep them at bay. They were everywhere. The parks were fine, no sign of them.
I've been going to Pop in Sept for the past 5 years and only in '08 did we experience them. But, it was only a few here & there while walking across the parking lot from the 80's building to the bus stops. I'm guessing they were out there because there's nothing out there to treat with pesticides unlike the bushes, trees, & grass closer to the buildings & pool area.

laprana

05-03-2011, 11:34 AM

Blech! I hope they're gone by May 28! :D I've experienced love bugs on several of our May trips and even though I know they don't bite or sting, I still don't like them, especially if they're crawling on me! :eek:

SoaringEpcot

05-03-2011, 02:40 PM

We were there this past September at the height. As others have said they were worse at the hotels but not bad at the parks:bug::bug::bug::bug::bug:. They would get in your hair and in your drinks. We would stand inside and watch people as they swatted as best they could to keep them away.

Frog

05-04-2011, 09:42 AM

all this being said, I would still rather be at the world swatting than not be at the world swatting! :)

Mousemates

05-04-2011, 09:59 AM

laprana

05-04-2011, 09:59 AM

all this being said, I would still rather be at the world swatting than not be at the world swatting! :)

I totally agree! I'll take a bug-filled day at WDW over a non-buggy day at home! :thumbsup:

ibelieveindisneymagic

05-04-2011, 10:01 AM

the love bugs can be a nuisance in general, but are really only a problem if you are a "bug-a-phobe" or have a child that really freaks out when a bug lands on them or flys around them (like one of ours did for a short period of time several years ago:().... if that is the case, lovebug week will either push them to the edge or cure them completely.;)

I'm one of those! I HATE bugs, but have managed quite well with the love bugs, once I figured out that they wouldn't bite me, and really didn't care about me at all.

It wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting :)

brivers222

05-04-2011, 01:28 PM

they look like our annual fish flys lol

Melanie

05-04-2011, 04:03 PM

Ugh! I wish they'd go away already. I work in the front office of an elementary school, and we have been swatting and killing them all week. When folks open the doors to come into the office, they fly in with them.

mouseketeer mom

05-04-2011, 08:43 PM

They were everywhere on our trip to WDW last week. They don't bother us at all, they just kind of float/fly around and you can barely feel them when they land on you.

Disney-4-Me

05-04-2011, 09:27 PM

What the heck is a love bug? I saw the picture, which was gross by the way, but I can't tell what kind of bug it really is.

The descriptions reminded me a little of Hitchcock's The Birds movie.:thedolls:

Luv4WDW

05-06-2011, 11:10 AM

So has there been any improvement in the Love Bug situation over the past few days? Are they similar to June bugs?

WDWdriver

05-06-2011, 10:53 PM

So has there been any improvement in the Love Bug situation over the past few days? Are they similar to June bugs?

They seem to be everywhere. The invasion is still growing, so it's hard to tell how bad it will get this year. And, no, they are not at all like June bugs. Lovebugs are much smaller and not as nasty (to me, anyway). Lovebugs just sort of fly around aimlessly and get onto your clothing or in your hair. They are harmless except to the paint on your car.

Melanie

05-07-2011, 08:09 AM

I concur with Ron. They are still everywhere!

05-07-2011, 08:20 AM

I just washed about 40 pounds of them off the front of my truck.

:bug: :bug: :bug: :bug: :bug: :bug: :bug: :bug:

jimsgal05

05-15-2011, 07:16 AM

I have been is Sept the 1st 2 weeks and have never been bothered or sen these "darlings"..I use to live in Jax , Fl so I know all to well about them..Hope everyone still ejoys thier trip this MAY and Sept!!!

Daisy'sMom

05-15-2011, 08:57 AM

We have not really had a bad problem yet. When we drove over to Disney last Monday, I thought the car would be a mess, but was pleasantly surprised it was not a problem. :mickey: