Available 7 Days/Week       MON - FRI  8am - 7pm       SAT - SUN  10am – 6pm
Call us (239) 466-0400
Apply Now

Experts say lack of rain leads to less lovebugs this season

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – A lack of rain this year has led to a lack of a lovebug season, according to experts.

FGCU Entomologist Dr. Joyce Fassbender said that lovebugs’ big season is typically from the middle of April until about the middle to the end of May.

“Their young actually require really moist soils in order for the eggs to develop, for the larvae to develop, and then for them to become adults,” said Dr. Fassbender. “If we have a drought or just a really dry, late spring, then they’re not going to be able to do that.”

That’s what we’ve seen this year in southwest Florida, leading to the lapse in swarming sweethearts that typically make a mess of front bumpers and windshields.

Rocket Shine Car Wash Assistant Manager Leonardo Diaz said although they’ve kept their numbers up, there’s been a noticeable difference in business this time of year.

“We try to get prepared. We got the bug spray, the bug buckets, and everything,” Diaz said. “This season has been very slow.”

Lovebugs are not native to Florida. Dr. Fassbender said they migrated from Central America originally. 

While they do play a role in our ecosystem, there are other insects that can pick up that role if the lovebugs aren’t around.

Dr. Fassbender said we could see their return come early fall when they have a second, usually smaller mating season.

The post Experts say lack of rain leads to less lovebugs this season appeared first on NBC2 News.

NBC2 (WBBH-TV)

#mortgagenaples, #naplesmortgage, #naplesnews, *Crawl, *Top News, Local, lovebugs, News, rain