Love is in the air! Well, lovebugs are in the air anyway. It's the time of year when Floridians start to notice these insects swarming, splattering on cars and popping up everywhere. But annoying as they can be at times, lovebugs are actually good for the environment.
According toresearch from the University of Florida, lovebugs help the environment when they are in their immature stage. When grass is cut and the excess falls to the ground, it creates a covering known as thatch, where immature lovebugs live and eat. Through this process, they redistribute essential nutrients back into the ground that are beneficial to plants and the environment.
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"It's only during these two months that people ask where these insects came from," Thomas Fasulo, an extension entomologist with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, said. "The rest of the year they're actually beneficial for the environment."
Pest prevention and landscaping company Massey Services says lovebug’s larvae are beneficial as they help to decompose dead plant material. The larvae can be found on and in the soil under decaying plants, from which they feed on.
So next time you walk out to your car to find a parade of lovebugs on your front grill, or notice them circling around your picnic basket, try to remember these little bugs are actually helpful!
