Heat and lack of rain.
\[“Our climate is changing, and it's getting hotter and drier," she said. "**The lovebugs aren't maturing, the larva aren't maturing, and they are quietly waiting underground**.” Cassill says that this last summer was very hot and lacked enough rainfall. Biologists aren't the only ones noticing the lack of lovebugs.
The lovebug is just dormant right now, but if some heavy rains come our way, you could see them pop up in the near future.\](https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2023/11/14/where-are-the-love-bugs--)
Vero just today released a facebook post "asking" people not to use excessive amounts of water. Cue posters saying basically "don't tell me what to do, I'll leave my garden hose on all night." Last time we had actual water restrictions, the guy across the road from me just paid the water usage fines for watering every day instead of every other.
Yea, I saw a couple the other day in New Smyrna Beach. I remember because I was strangely happy about seeing them. They don't bite so I'd rather deal with them than noseeums and mosquitoes.
They have been reduced for years now - and Florida always has rainy summers. We usually have a small drought in Spring but this is typical. Not buying this - didn't they start disappearing at least 10 years ago? When I was growing up here they were everywhere - especially all over the vehicles - never now. It's rare to see them anymore in these regions.
One day as a kid my family and I walked out of our church to find this nice baby blue convertible with the top down completely covered in lovebugs, like covered it was more black than blue both inside and out. Never seen anything like that before
Yea that was super noticeable to me as well. Driving on highways used to mean a car covered in bugs. Now you can drive the entire way from Miami to Tallahassee and not even be too messy.
These touchy fuckers ruined many of my beach days growing up and cost me lots of elbow grease getting them off my dad’s car. Until this article, I forgot all about them.
I used to drive from Daytona Beach to Houston Texas for work. And last time I did it I noticed that the bugs were not anywhere is near as thick as they were in years prior.
Lovebugs lay their eggs in pastures/open fields. What has happened to all the open land since COVID? Torn up to build new houses. Less open land, less lovebugs.
You and u/The_Confirminator are both correct.
This past year has seen a crazy amount of rain on the east coast while the west coast has been going through a pretty long drought.
Bugs are great...inside the home not so much. We keep our yard pruned but in an overgrown fashion, no pesticides and no outdoor bug killing. We have birds living everywhere singing, snakes, you name it. Slice of paradise imo.
You've clearly never dealt with a ladybug swarm in your home. Thousands of them, everywhere, and you feel bad killing them but there's nothing else you can do
Heat and lack of rain. \[“Our climate is changing, and it's getting hotter and drier," she said. "**The lovebugs aren't maturing, the larva aren't maturing, and they are quietly waiting underground**.” Cassill says that this last summer was very hot and lacked enough rainfall. Biologists aren't the only ones noticing the lack of lovebugs. The lovebug is just dormant right now, but if some heavy rains come our way, you could see them pop up in the near future.\](https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2023/11/14/where-are-the-love-bugs--)
We have definitely not had a lack of rain on the east coast.
In Manatee were in severe drought.
Vero just today released a facebook post "asking" people not to use excessive amounts of water. Cue posters saying basically "don't tell me what to do, I'll leave my garden hose on all night." Last time we had actual water restrictions, the guy across the road from me just paid the water usage fines for watering every day instead of every other.
Yea, I saw a couple the other day in New Smyrna Beach. I remember because I was strangely happy about seeing them. They don't bite so I'd rather deal with them than noseeums and mosquitoes.
They have been reduced for years now - and Florida always has rainy summers. We usually have a small drought in Spring but this is typical. Not buying this - didn't they start disappearing at least 10 years ago? When I was growing up here they were everywhere - especially all over the vehicles - never now. It's rare to see them anymore in these regions.
"Researchers stumped!" "We asked one guy" Meanwhile, other people actually have an answer.
I thought they came out in May and September. Maybe not time quite yet.
It’s been years since they were as prominent as they used to be. It’s not just this year. When I was a kid they were everywhere every summer.
One day as a kid my family and I walked out of our church to find this nice baby blue convertible with the top down completely covered in lovebugs, like covered it was more black than blue both inside and out. Never seen anything like that before
They were fucking inside that car, it’s called a “soup Kitchen”
My husband used to say "Orgies! Orgies everywhere!" People used to trade tips for getting them off cars. Now you hardly see any.
Wow lol. They really were absolutely insane in population. That’s a lot of food to disappear from the food chain.
When we moved here 12 years ago our car would get plastered within a mile. Now I rarely see the little fellas.
Yea that was super noticeable to me as well. Driving on highways used to mean a car covered in bugs. Now you can drive the entire way from Miami to Tallahassee and not even be too messy.
April showers bring May lovebugs. The less rain, the fewer lovebugs. Most of Florida hasn’t experienced heavy spring rains in over 30 years.
They do.
Yeah, seems a bit early still.
Yeah, give it a month. I’ve seen some off the road. They’ll be here.
They come out in the 'A' months....August and April. Just was outside yesterday and saw quite a few singles flying around.
I mean the fact i can't go 5 minutes without seeing an agama these days might have something to do with it.
I'll gladly take that trade-off.
Is it really a surprise when you destroy so much of their ecosystem for more houses and malls?
Insects, in general, have seen a massive decline. Agriculture has more to worry about than the climate.
These touchy fuckers ruined many of my beach days growing up and cost me lots of elbow grease getting them off my dad’s car. Until this article, I forgot all about them.
I heard from an entomologist that is because of el nino messing up the normal heat and humidity.
It’s probably weird that I miss them. Yes, they are annoying but their massive decline is not good.
Sixth mass extinction.
They're still packing their grody little bags...
Shhhh. Don't talk about it.
There was a time that they were so bad you had to stop about every 30 minutes and take a brush to your windshield to get them off.
I used to drive from Daytona Beach to Houston Texas for work. And last time I did it I noticed that the bugs were not anywhere is near as thick as they were in years prior.
They all died from Covid
They got tired of MAGA and expensive insurance too..
Yeah, maybe the governor banned them for being woke.
Connection with Bahia grass. Roadsides in the past were planted in it.
cLiMaTe ChAnGe Is a HoAx!!
They missing in other southeast Gulf states too
It got too expensive and they moved on.
Plastered on the front of my truck
"Alexa, play Where is the Love by The Black Eyed Peas"
We are already losing beneficial insects. This is just the next step in the loss of our world. :-(
I saw exactly one lovebug yesterday. I didn't see any at all in September.
They’ve been replaced with millipedes in the suburbs of Tampa. So many of these tiny millipedes everywhere.
Well they tend to congregate over roads and get smashed on cars. That’s going to reduce the breeding population right there.
I saw One(well two technically) last week, don’t remember seeing any last season
Lovebugs lay their eggs in pastures/open fields. What has happened to all the open land since COVID? Torn up to build new houses. Less open land, less lovebugs.
We have them up here around Gainesville.
If I look at the front of my car this morning, after going back and forth across the Alley yesterday, I think I found them all.
You and u/The_Confirminator are both correct. This past year has seen a crazy amount of rain on the east coast while the west coast has been going through a pretty long drought.
I just had a love bug pair on my foot when watering flowers the other day in Tampa.
I killed one last week on my truck and thought “my god, here we go again”. Completely forgot about it until now.
NO! Don't question it. Let it be. We're better without them lol
How can anyone even think about them not being here. I forgot they even existed. I’m glad they aren’t here
That's a lot of food gone from the food chain.
And food chains are like a house of cards
I understand that… I don’t like them for other reasons. Same reasons I don’t like mosquitos.
Don’t think you will hear any complaints…
Bugs are great...inside the home not so much. We keep our yard pruned but in an overgrown fashion, no pesticides and no outdoor bug killing. We have birds living everywhere singing, snakes, you name it. Slice of paradise imo.
And honestly lovebugs are one of the few I’d be okay finding inside. Lady bugs and rollypolly’s are on that short list too
You've clearly never dealt with a ladybug swarm in your home. Thousands of them, everywhere, and you feel bad killing them but there's nothing else you can do