Two Love Bugs Relax – They don’t know what all the fuss is about.
If you visit Parris Island during the months of April, May, September or October you might be feeling the love, not from drill instructors, but from love bugs. Black with a red thorax area; these small flies are not unique to South Carolina. They are known by several names, love bugs, honeymoon fly, or kissing bug.
No matter what you call them, these insects conjoined in mating bliss as they fly aimlessly into everyone are considered harmless but annoying. According to an article by Dennis Adams, retired Information Services Coordinator at the Beaufort Public Library, “…lovebugs do not sting, bite, or carry disease…” but as you might have noticed, they do make a mess of car windshields, so I’ve compiled a list of tips to help you deal with the little buggers.
Tip #1. Don’t brush them off your clothing – Deep in conversation, my friend Paul barely noticed the pair of love bugs crash into his white shirt. Without thinking, he gently spackled them right down the front of his polo leaving a line of fly goo. These insects smoosh easily; try gently waving them away or blowing them off your clothing.
Tip #2 Make sure you have lots of windshield wiper fluid on hand – Once while driving in Florida we hit so many Love Bugs we couldn’t see, so we turned on our windshield wipers. That created a muddy mess so thick we didn’t have enough wiper fluid to get it off. Bring paper towels too; without them we wound up rummaging through the glove box for old napkins, brochures, even a small piece of cardboard. An extra bottle of windshield wiper fluid could have eliminated a lot of frustration.
Tip #3 Treat your windshield with Rain–X before you leave home -Not only will you have better visibility in the rain, dead bugs are much easier to clean off treated glass.
Tip #4 Wash dead flies off your car as soon as you can – In addition to decreasing visibility, an article by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), says love bugs can clog your radiator and cause your engine to overheat. Decomposing fly bodies and egg masses are slightly acidic and can even etch the paint.
Tip #5 Consider buying a car bra or bug shield – Yes, those somewhat funny looking car mask contraptions that go around the front of the car can save you a lot of time by capturing insects in the mesh keeping them out of your grill and off the paint.
Don’t hate; follow these 5 tips and share the love, not the bugs during your visit!
