Florida’s most unlovable insect returns to make a mess on our cars

Maybe the most annoying creatures in Florida are back swarming around, making a mess of our homes and our cars – driving us crazy.

Lovebugs are anything but lovable. The best thing to do to get rid of the pesky insects is to wash your car after a drive. You do not want a lovebug stuck on the front end of a vehicle for too long.

Newer model cars are made with paint that does not deteriorate as fast from lovebug residue. But we got a bit of a way to go before we are rid of these not so loveable lovebugs.

For Mark Pasztor, the lovebugs posed quite the problem for him on his road trip from Orlando.

“They were just all over the car,” Pasztor said. “We had to stop three times. Everyone at the gas station we were at, a truck stop, people are just scrubbing their windows so they can see again and you get back on and all of a sudden it’s splat, splat, splat.”

Pasztor made it a point to get his car washed to ride the stains left by the lovebugs. So did dozens of other people. Cars with grills covered in bugs, which need a good powerwash to get them off.

“It’s been crazy,” said Ken Skizas, owner of the Calypso Car Wash. “It’s been like this every day. Love bugs!”

Lovebugs usually like to hang out in areas where there is grass. When driving by forestry or swampy areas, the motorist can expect many of the pesky insects. But, when spring mating season ends in a couple of weeks, the lovebugs will be mostly nonexistent until October.

For Len Pokorny, having the lovebugs go away will save him money. He usually gets his car washed once a week. But with the lovebugs all around, he is bringing his car almost daily.

“I like a clean car,” Pokorny said. “With the bugs, it’s hard to keep it clean.”