Lovebugs might have a darling name. But do not mistake these pests as home pets. During mating season, these insects can swarm in the millions. And their acidic bodies can damage the paint on cars and homes. But the good news is with the best love bug repellent, you can get rid of and prevent love bugs.
You are at the right place. Today, we will discuss how to get rid of love bugs. You can do it with natural best love bug repellent, or with a chemical.
What are love bugs?
First, let’s talk about the tiny insects. What are love bugs? Known scientifically as Plecia Nearctica, they are a species of march fly. Common in Central America, Africa, and the southeastern United States, love bugs are even more common in the gulf coast and areas like Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Mexico.
We also call them the honeymoon fly or double-headed bug. They are unique in the way that males are females stay attached together during and after mating for several days.
Female love bugs die shortly after laying eggs. Men soon to follow. Usually, their lifespan ranges between 72 to 92 hours.
During that short period, a female love bug can lay between 100 and 350 eggs. She deposits them on the ground below decaying vegetation. Think weeds and grass. Eggs hatch within two to four days. After a few days, male lovebugs emerge as adults and wait for a female to emerge and start mating. This continues for several days.
While they are harmless to people and pets, love bugs can damage our house paint, car paint, and our yard. This is why you might want to find the best natural bug repellent.
Why do you have love bugs?
Adult lovebugs feed on nectar from flowers. They are also attracted to the gasses emitted by our cars. This is why you might see them around motorways.
These pests are also attracted to fumes emitted from lawnmowers and other machines running on gasoline.
When you have an abundance of love bugs on your property it means you have somehow created an ideal mating ground for the insects.
It is also a known fact that those pesky bugs are attracted to lighter and brighter colors.
When is love bug season?
As we said before, love bugs thrive in warmer climates. This makes Florida and the Gulf Coast States a perfect habit. When is their mating season? Lovebugs usually appear in the spring and late summer seasons.
The love bug season usually lasts for a few months, depending on factors like weather and location. If they appear in spring, their season lasts from April to May. Then, again in the summer, from August until September.
Usually, a love bug season lasts for four weeks.
Are they dangerous?
Lovebugs cannot harm you. They are not dangerous. Yes, they can be a nuisance, leading many to look for the best ways to get rid of love bugs.
Here is another myth. They do not carry diseases. You do not have to worry about these pests biting or stinging you or anyone else in your family and household.
Yet, when you drive, they make it more difficult to see when they appear on your car.
How to Get Rid of Lovebugs
Now let’s talk about the best love bug repellent. There are a couple of options you can buy online or in your local store. Let’s discuss.
WOndercide Outdoor Pest Control Spray
This all-natural pest control spray is made of essential oils and plant-based ingredients. It is an effective pest control item against fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitos, and love bugs.
You can use it safely in areas where pets and people play. There is no spray and wait time. It kills love bugs but it also provides long-term prevention from future infestation.
Spray it directly on your lawn, garden, trees, or along the border of your house.
Debug Organic Pest Control
Here is another all-natural pest control product. It uses plant-based ingredients along with neem oil to kill and repel love bugs and other pests.
It is safe to spray directly on garden, trees, and yard. You can also spray it around your home as perimeter protection.
Cutter Backyard bug control
This effective pest control product can kill earwigs, roaches, mosquitos, ants, fleas, love bugs, and many more. It treats up to 5,000 square feet and controls pests for up to 12 weeks when applied properly.
It kills on contact. The cutter backyard bug control comes in a concentrated bottle. This product does use chemical-based ingredients and might be harmful to people, pets, and the environment. Keep it out of reach of children.
Ben’s 100 Insect Repellent Pack
This product provides maximum protection against harmful biting insects and love bugs. It comes in a bottle you can also carry with you on adventures out of town.
Designed for use in areas of high bug density, the fragrance-free formula will come in handy during love bugs season.
Coleman Naturally Based DEET Free Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent Spray
We finish off the list with Coleman, a lemon and eucalyptus insect repellent spray. This naturally based spray has a cool and refreshing scent.
It is safe to use on tents, bedding, fishing line, clothes, and other items.
Natural Ways to Kill Lovebugs
Do you want to find some natural ways to kill lovebugs? Without chemicals or pesticides? Well, here are some ideas on how to get rid of love bugs around the house and in your car.
Natural solutions for your house
- Mow your lawn regularly and remove dead or decomposing biological matter like leaves and cut grass
- Do not leave vehicles or equipment idling in the yard after use
- Paint the walls of your home in dark shades, but do not do any painting job during the swarming season
- Wash your walls with water and soap solution
- Spray the doors and windows of your home with an insect spray
- Leave citrus-scented candles
- Use citrus soap solution as a spray to keep the insects away
- Wear dark-colored clothes during the swarming season
- Hold events like parties after sundown, love bugs are active only during the day
- Water your lawn to a minimum, making the area difficult to maintain
Remove love bugs from your car
- Keep driving after sundown
- Drive your car at a low speed to avoid love bugs smashing into your hood and windshield
- Wax your car before the swarming season, making it easy to wash off dead bugs
- Wipe the car with cooking spray to reduce the stickiness of dead bodies
- Use a car mask during the swarming season
- Wipe the car with baby oil to remove bugs easily
- Use a wet cloth dipped in baking soda to remove them from your car
Best natural love bug spray
Let’s finish off with the tried-and-true natural spray. It will effectively help you get rid of love bugs. And you might already have all the ingredients in your pantry.
For this solution, you need 1 cup of water, 3 tablespoons of citrus dish soap, and 3 tablespoons of mouthwash. Combine them in a spray bottle, and then spray on plants and walls where most love bugs reside.