Lovebugs

by Lydia Holley September 26, 2022

As far as bugs go, lovebugs have always been one of my favorite. Perhaps because in my family we call them wish bugs and wish upon them.

Lovebugs, Plecia nearctica, are also commonly called double-headed bugs, honeymoon bugs, and various other names. They are not true bugs, but flies. Native to South America, these lovebugs were first reported in the United States in Galveston in the 1940s. They have since spread to every state along the Gulf Coast and have been sighted as far north as North Carolina.

Lovebugs are easy to spot because they are generally hooked together. They mate in only a few minutes, but may stay coupled for three to five days, unless interrupted, and live only a few days more. Each female lays about 300 eggs on average. The female is the larger of the two, and she pulls the male around as though he is nothing more than an accessory.

Lovebugs are generally seen in both spring and fall. Some places have such high concentrations of lovebugs they cause a nuisance, swarming thick enough to reduce visibility when driving. Texas A&M lists them as beneficial to the garden since they help break down leaves into organic matter in their larval stages. Adults also help with pollination, and feed on flower nectar.

Children appreciate lovebugs because they do not sting or bite. People are not the only ones that like love bugs. They make a tasty meal for birds and other prey such as assassin bugs and praying mantis.

There are a couple of other species which resemble P nearctica. P americana is native to the United States, but does not emerge in fall. Dilophus sayi is also similar, but does not have the red thorax P nearctica has.

Still, because P nearctica has become so prolific in states bordering the Gulf Coast, if you see a lovebug, chances are it is the South American kind. Lovebugs may bug some people, but I believe they are always good for a wish.

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