How to Get Rid of Love Bugs in Florida (And Why Spraying Will Not Work)

You cannot get rid of love bugs in Florida for good, and no spray will do it. What you can do is protect your car, keep them off the front of the house, and wait. Each flight in Brevard County lasts about four weeks, and then they are gone until the next one.

TL;DR

Love bugs do not bite or sting. They are a mess, not a danger.
Wash them off your car within a day or two. Left to bake in the sun, they can mark the paint.
Wax the front of the car and fit a screen over the radiator grille during a flight.
Spraying the yard is a waste of money. UF/IFAS says insecticides are of no value against them.

When is love bug season in Brevard?

Love bugs fly twice a year. UF/IFAS puts the flights in April and May, and again in August and September, with each one lasting about four weeks. The Brevard County extension office has said they are most active here in May and October, so the fall flight often hangs on into this month.

They fly in the daytime when it is warm, with the heaviest activity in the late morning and again in the early evening. That is why the drive home from work is the worst of it.

The adults only live a few days. They eat nectar and pollen, and they do not come after people or pets. The larvae live in damp grass and rotting plant matter, where they actually help break it down. That is the whole story of the bug.

How to get rid of love bugs on your car

The car takes the worst of it. Love bugs are drawn to car exhaust and to heat, so they gather over roads and hit every grille on I-95 and US 1.

Their bodies turn slightly acidic after they die. UF/IFAS found that no permanent damage is done if the car is cleaned before the sun bakes them on for a day or two. So speed matters more than the product.

Soak first. UF/IFAS says to soak the area with water for about five minutes, then scrub. Dry bugs scrubbed hard can scratch.
Use a soft sponge and car wash soap. Skip anything that could hold grit.
Wax before the flight. A fresh coat of wax makes them wipe off far easier.
Screen the grille. A bug screen over the radiator keeps them from clogging it and running the engine hot.
Hit the windshield often. Keep the washer fluid full.

Keeping love bugs off the house

They do not come inside looking for food or shelter the way roaches and ants do. Most of the ones in a house just blew in through an open door.

Keep doors closed during the late morning and early evening peaks.
Run the AC. UF/IFAS notes that air conditioning pushes air out of the house, and love bugs are weak fliers.
Check your screens, including the pool cage and lanai. A torn panel on the side the wind hits lets them pile up inside.
Vacuum the ones that get in. No spray needed.
Try the white bowl. UF and the Brevard extension office suggest a white bowl of water with a little baby oil set away from the door. It draws them in. It will not end the flight, but it can keep a front step or patio clearer.

What this looks like in Brevard

A lot of Brevard sits next to the kind of ground love bug larvae like: pasture, ditches, damp grassy lots and the edges of the river. UF/IFAS says homes near moist grassy areas see more of them. That is not something wrong with your house. It is just where you live.

This is also the honest part of the post. Love bugs are one bug you do not need to pay anyone to spray. A general pest treatment is built for pests that nest in or around your home, like ants, roaches and spiders. Love bugs drift in from miles of open land and keep coming no matter what is sprayed at one address.

What to do now

Wash the car every day or two while the flight is on. Soak, then scrub gently.
Wax the hood, bumper and mirrors and add a grille screen before the next flight.
Keep doors shut and the AC on in the late morning and early evening.
Fix torn screens on windows, doors and the pool cage.
Save your money on yard sprays. Wait out the four weeks.

When to call somebody

Not for love bugs. If you are seeing other bugs inside while you are at it, that is a different story. Ants on the counter or roaches in the kitchen are living in or around the house, and our general pest control plans are built for exactly that. Read why DIY sprays often fail first, and every plan and price is on the pricing page.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get rid of love bugs in Florida?

You cannot get rid of them for good, and no spray will do it. Protect your car, keep them off the front of the house, and wait. Each flight lasts about four weeks, and then they are gone until the next one.

When is love bug season in Brevard County?

UF/IFAS puts the flights in April and May, and again in August and September, each lasting about four weeks. The Brevard County extension office has said they are most active here in May and October, so the fall flight often hangs on into October.

Do love bugs damage car paint?

Their bodies turn slightly acidic after they die. UF/IFAS found that no permanent damage is done if the car is cleaned before the sun bakes them on for a day or two. Soak the area with water for about five minutes, then scrub gently. Wax and a grille screen help.

Should I spray my yard for love bugs?

No. UF/IFAS says insecticides are of no value against them. Love bugs drift in from miles of open land and keep coming no matter what is sprayed at one address. This is one bug you do not need to pay anyone to spray.

How do I keep love bugs out of the house?

Keep doors closed during the late morning and early evening peaks, run the AC, fix torn screens on windows, doors and the pool cage, and vacuum any that get in. A white bowl of water with a little baby oil set away from the door can draw them away from a step or patio.