Wacky Pest Wednesday: Lovebugs
Happy Wednesday to all you Tri-County Pest Control fans out there, and welcome to our latest edition of Wacky Pest Wednesday! In honor of Valentine’s Day being tomorrow, we’re covering a critter that’s fitting for the holiday, but one that you may not see in your daily life: the lovebug!
Native to Central America, there is a slim chance that you’ll see this bug flying around your house anytime soon, but in recent years they have spread out to the southeastern portion of the United States. They are pretty small overall, but what makes the lovebug stand out amongst the crowd is that after mating, two lovebugs will literally become stuck together at their rear ends, which is where this critter gets its name from. Believe it or not, this newly minted pair of critters will do everything together—they will fly together, eat together, sleep together, you name it. Sure, it might sound overly clingy, but when you take into account the fact that these bugs only have a lifespan of 3-4 days, then it helps to justify just how attached they are to their partner.
They may look a little startling, but believe us, the only thing infectious about this bug is the love it has for its partner. Since they feed off of decaying vegetation and nectar, they won’t come into contact with you. At worst, their naturally acidic body chemistry can cause them to stick to the exterior of your car, causing paint chips to come off when they fly off. Other than that, the only time you need to worry about lovebugs is if they have a whole colony inside your home!
Did you know that there is an internet-based rumor that lovebugs are the product of a genetic experiment gone wrong? Seeing that two lovebugs are literally attached at each other’s rear, we can understand where the confusion can come from, but we can assure you that this is false. However, if there is ever a pest that has been the product of a genetic or a nuclear experiment gone wrong, you can believe that we’ll be the first to let you know!
From all of us at Tri-County Pest Control, we wish you a happy Valentine’s Day!
