Lovebugs Are Everywhere, but They’re Only ‘Harmful’ to Your Car

If you didn’t grow up in Texas, these numerous, small black insects with reddish-orange dots on their head flying around aimlessly might be alarming to you, but there’s no need to worry. Lovebugs are often seen in pairs, which is how they get their name. Chron.com writes that their very public and obvious mating ritual lasts 56-hours, but they only live for two and a half days total. Basically, they’re born, they chow down some nectar, fly around and mate, lay their eggs, and then die.

“Lovebugs don’t bite, they don’t sting, and they are much like maggots. The female plants her eggs in moist soil, and when hatched, the larvae consume the detritus that surrounds them. Ditches and swampy areas are their kingdoms,” Chron.com writes.

ABC 13 says the only negative aspect of lovebugs (other than they can drive you crazy if there are a bunch of the flying bugs in your backyard) is that they can cover the front of your car when you drive along a Texas highway during their twice-a-year mating season. “Due to the highly acidic chemistry of a lovebug’s body, their carcasses can make it hard for anyone to clean them off, especially if left for hours,” they write. It’s best if you clean off their bodies before they become too stuck and could possibly damage the paint.