If you live in the south, odds are you’ve encountered those strange red and black bugs that seem to be attached at the hip. What are they and why are they always in pairs?
The love bug, AKA the honeymoon fly or the double-headed bug, is a species of fly that is found in Central America and the Southeastern United States, most commonly along the Gulf Coast. They are small with black bodies and red heads. Their most striking feature, however, is the fact that they are almost always seen as a pair, with male and female lined up tail to tail. Why are love bugs stuck together? The answer – they are mating!
There are 2 major flights of love bugs during the year. The spring flight is usually from April to May and the summer flight is from August to September. Each flight lasts about 5 weeks.
While love bugs can be extremely annoying, especially if you are driving in the southern states, they are not capable of biting or stinging and pose no health threats to humans or other animals. They are also not known to transmit any diseases. They do cause other problems, however. Love bugs are attracted to the gas that is emitted from automobiles and will often congregate in large numbers near highways. This causes them to be killed in large numbers on car hoods, grills, and windshields. If left for too long, dead love bugs can cause damage to car paint, obstruct windshields, and even clog radiator passages and grills, causing mechanical issues and engines to overheat. These pests also thrive in humid environments so they can be found in basements, attics, and storage rooms, and even on flowers or in flower beds with high moisture content.
Even though love bugs don’t pose a serious threat to humans, they can be aggravating enough to want to get rid of them. Here are a few ways to help prevent love bugs:
- Clean Your Car. Wash your car often with warm soapy water, especially if there are dead love bugs stuck to it. Wax your car prior to mating season to make it harder for them to stick to the exterior.
- Eliminate Standing Water. Inspect your home and yard for any areas of standing water and get rid of them. This will also help with mosquitoes. Monitor your home’s humidity levels, as well.
- Natural Repellents. You can try natural repellent sprays made from essential oils such as peppermint. to repel love bugs.
- Clean Up The Yard. Keep the grass mowed and shrubbery trimmed. Clear any debris from the yard, especially anything that can hold moisture.
- Vacuum. The best way to get rid of live love bugs that may be swarming around your home is to vacuum them up.
While love bugs don’t pose any significant threat to humans, they can be a nuisance. If you have an issue with love bugs or any other pest, contact a professional pest control company for assistance.
Ikiwa unaishi kusini, uwezekano ni kwamba umekutana na wadudu hao wa ajabu wa rangi nyekundu na nyeusi ambao wanaonekana kuwa wameunganishwa kwenye kiuno. Ni nini na kwa nini sikuzote wao huwa wawili-wawili? "Kipande cha ndege kinachoitwa ""Honeymoon Fly"" au ""Double-headed Bug"" ni aina ya ndege anayeishi katika eneo la Amerika ya Kati na Kusini-Mashariki mwa Marekani, hasa katika eneo la Gulf Coast." Wao ni wadogo wenye miili nyeusi na vichwa vyekundu. Hata hivyo, jambo linalowashangaza zaidi ni kwamba karibu kila mara wao huonekana wakiwa wawili-wawili, huku wanaume na wanawake wakiwa wamepangwa kwa mstari mkia kwa mkia. Kwa nini wadudu wa upendo hukaa pamoja? Jibu ni <unk> wanaoa! Kuna ndege mbili kuu za wadudu wa upendo wakati wa mwaka. Ndege ya majira ya kuchipua kwa kawaida ni kutoka Aprili hadi Mei na ndege ya majira ya joto ni kutoka Agosti hadi Septemba. Kila safari ya ndege huchukua karibu wiki tano. Ingawa wadudu wa upendo wanaweza kuwa wenye kukasirisha sana, hasa ikiwa unaendesha gari katika majimbo ya kusini, hawawezi kuuma au kuuma na hawawasababishi hatari yoyote kwa afya ya wanadamu au wanyama wengine. Pia hawajulikani kuwa na uwezo wa kueneza magonjwa yoyote. Hata hivyo, zinasababisha matatizo mengine. Vipepeo wa upendo huvutiwa na gesi inayotokezwa na magari na mara nyingi hukusanyika kwa wingi karibu na barabara kuu. Hilo husababisha viumbe hao wauawe kwa wingi kwenye kofia za magari, gridi, na vioo vya mbele. Ikiwa imeachwa kwa muda mrefu, inaweza kuharibu rangi ya gari, kuzuia vioo vya mbele, na hata kuziba njia za radiator na grills, na kusababisha matatizo ya mitambo na injini kupasha joto. Wanyama hao huishi katika mazingira yenye unyevunyevu, kwa hiyo wanaweza kupatikana katika vyumba vya chini ya ardhi, vyumba vya juu, na hata kwenye maua au kwenye vitanda vya maua vyenye unyevu mwingi. Hata ingawa wadudu wa upendo si tishio kubwa kwa wanadamu, wanaweza kuwa wenye kusumbua vya kutosha kutaka kuondolewa. Hapa kuna njia chache za kusaidia kuzuia wadudu wa upendo: - Safisha Gari Lako. Osha gari lako mara nyingi kwa maji ya joto na sabuni, hasa ikiwa kuna wadudu waliokufa wa upendo. Weka wax kwenye gari lako kabla ya msimu wa kuoa ili iwe vigumu kwao kushikamana na nje. - Kuondoa Maji Yenye Kusimama. Angalia nyumba yako na bustani kwa ajili ya maeneo yoyote ya maji ya kusimama na kuondoa yao. Hii itasaidia pia dhidi ya mbu. Angalia pia kiwango cha unyevu wa nyumba yako. - Dawa za kuua wadudu. Unaweza kujaribu dawa za asili zinazotengenezwa kwa mafuta muhimu kama vile mint. Ili kuondoa wadudu wa upendo. - Kusafisha Yard. Weka nyasi imekatwa na vichaka vimekatwa. Ondoa uchafu wowote katika bustani, hasa chochote kinachoweza kuhifadhi unyevu. - Vacuum. Njia bora ya kuondoa wadudu wa upendo ambao wanaweza kuwa karibu na nyumba yako ni kuwapaka hewa. Ingawa wadudu wa upendo si tishio kubwa kwa wanadamu, wanaweza kuwa wenye kusumbua. Ikiwa una tatizo la kuambukizwa na wadudu wa aina ya Love bugs, wasiliana na kampuni ya kudhibiti wadudu ili upate msaada.