mbsigman

Howdy all. For those who live in Florida, what are the approximate months for love bug season (if such a thing as 'love bug season' exists), and how do you get them off your car? Will a simple power wand type wash do the trick? Is the problem worse inland than on either coast?

Thanks

Mike

Uncle Meat

They emerge in the spring and fall (usually May and September), although this can vary by a few weeks earlier or later. The total "season" lasts 3-5 weeks.

They suck.

U.M.

Kraz8s

I'm in Tallahassee and they were really bad the first two weeks of this past September. When they show up is really weather dependant I've found. Just know that once you see a few, there are a million more just around the corner.

As for cleaning them off your car the best thing you can do is load on an extra coat of wax once you first start seeing them. The extra wax is just a good safety measure.

(This is from my personal experience so take it for what it is.) Outside of that I've found is dependant on what color your car is. If you have a black car I'd stick with the Turtle Wax bug and tar remover in the green bottle. You will end up giving your arms a good work out but your paint/clear coat will be safe. If you have a white car you can use the RAIN-X stuff in the blue bottle, this is a spray that you can leave on the car for a few minutes and then just rinse those devil bugs off. DO NOT USE the RAIN-X on a dark color car, I did and it left some very tiny oily rainbow looking spots, really kicked myself for that one. Do not use the Stoner bug and label remover for any reason as it has never worked too well for me on love bugs and smells like paint thinner.

If you don't like using chemicals on your car you can alway use a 50/50 vinegar water mix. This will strip off the wax very fast though from the times I have used it.

I know this was a bit long winded but it is what I've gathered from the 6 years I've been in the lovely state of Florida.

Flame Red

The best way to handle them is a fresh coat of Zaino, especially on the nose, hood, mirrors, etc. I find that with Zaino, they will wash right off with a garden hose and a wet rag if you get them while they are fresh. Don't let them sit and stew on your paint.

FortMorganAl

It has to be wet for them to hatch. It tends to rain in the spring and fall.

Wax doesn't really do the job. It helps but it won't prevent the chemical attack. Rejex (or any other polymer coating) is all you need to make them come off easily. Rejex was designed specifically to protect against such chemical attack. The shine and slickness are by-products. I've left them on for over a month with no damage.


Edit: Missed the last question. I do not see them on the coast but 2 miles inland they can be everywhere if that makes a difference.

pokerpro

You would really leave that nasty looking mess like that for more than a month?

FortMorganAl

Yep. When the love bugs are out it can get that bad in just a few miles of driving. I'm not going to wash the car every time I drive it. At first I would wash them off daily but then I proved that no damage would occur with Rejex on there and they still came off easily so now I just wait until the bugs disappear. It's not like my car looks worse than everyone else's. If you drive through love bugs you are going to get love bugs on your car.

C6FirstVette

I am new to living in Florida, but appears that the love bug issue can be regional… when driving down here from Reston, Virginia we hit Jacksonville FL on May 3 and it was like a switch saying 'COME ON LOVE BUGS' was turned on (fortunately we were in a rented van) and for about 100 miles love bugs everywhere.

Now living in Jupiter Florida and from May to now I would say there were about 3 days total of light love bug presence…I was prepared for the plaque from these critters, but they were like politicians… all huff and puff and no action. Not complaining…

As to removal… another advantage for having a clear bra… no worry about paint damage and makes it easier to remove the bug carcasses

ALLEN007

I'm in Panama City, Fl and several years back I left them on my Black Pathfinder too long and when I washed them off, I guess the chemicals in there body had ate through the paint. There was little white spots everywhere there was a Love Bug.

Copterdoc

2 coats of Rejex, early Spring and Fall before they come out. And they practically wash off with a stout stream of water from the hose.

mbsigman

My car has a 3M clear bra on the front end and the mirrors. I've been using Zaino (applied by Josh Ottman locally in the DFW area) and he does apply it over the clear bra. My car is Monterrey Red.

If we go to Florida, should I consider switching waxes to the Rejex? Do these durned bugs chemically attack the clear bra as well?

Thanks

dvilin

In the off season all the "Love Bugs" live in the Villages in Central Florida.

USAF

Just spray the front with WD-40 or PAM cooking spray.
Bugs hose right off

USAF

torredc5

I often use a clothes dryer sheet (or two) to remove the love bugs. Simply wet the dryer sheet, wet the areas where the bugs are, scrub and rinse. It will not damage or scratch your paint. Be sure to remove the love bugs as soon as you possibly can as they WILL eat into your paint fast. As always, it helps to keep your car waxed. Meguires detail spray seems to work very well also.

ksurfer2

I have heard that a think coat of vaseline or other petroleum jelly applied to the front of the car makes clean up a breeze. I have never tried this and don't know of the effect on the paint.....

Thoughts?

FAUEE

They eat through paint in hours. Their guts ate highly acidic.

Tonylmiller

If you drive below 45 mph they won't pop on your car. They just bounce off. It is well worth the extra time for short trips!

Plus you will get great gas mileage...

cor28vettes

Been in Destin area 20 yrs and never an issue. Tourists collect them elsewhere for safekeeping.

lebvette

They were bad in Pensacola, during their show.

davidtcpa

I only see love bugs when driving to Orlando. I never see them to a big extent in South Florida.