Lovebug, Plecia nearctica (Diptera: Bibionidae)
Vicky Bertagnolli, ©2021 Clemson Extension
Lovebugs, Plecia nearctica (Diptera: Bibionidae) are small, black-colored flies except for the top of the thorax being red. The common name “lovebug” refers to the adult male and female flying attached to each other while mating (in copula).
In the southeastern United States, adult lovebugs are often considered a nuisance due to enormous adult populations in May and September. These immense adult populations last about four weeks. Larval lovebugs live within and feed on dead and decaying plant matter, recycling it into useable organic matter that benefits the environment.
For more information, see the University of Florida’s Featured Creatures publication on the lovebug at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/lovebug.htm.
