Lovebug

Definition

A common name for Plecia nearctica, a species of march fly (Diptera: Bibionidae) native to Central America and the southeastern United States, especially the Gulf Coast. The name refers to the conspicuous mating behavior in which males and females copulate in flight and remain paired—often still joined—while flying and resting for up to several days, giving the appearance of a single insect with two heads. Adults emerge synchronously in massive seasonal flights, creating nuisance aggregations on roads and vehicles.

Etymology

From the prolonged copulatory pairing behavior that keeps male and female conspicuously coupled in flight.

Example

During May and September flights along Florida highways, lovebugs accumulate in such densities that their bodies clog radiators and etch automotive paint if not washed off promptly.

Synonyms

• honeymoon fly
• double-headed bug

Related Terms

• March fly
• Bibionidae
• Nuptial flight
• epigamic behavior
• swarming
• automotive entomology

Usage Notes

The term is strictly vernacular; specialists use the scientific name Plecia nearctica. The related genus Plecia contains additional species, but only P. nearctica is commonly called "lovebug" in North America. The paired flight behavior distinguishes lovebugs from other bibionids and from superficially similar cantharid beetles sometimes called "soldier beetles" that also aggregate on flowers. Mass flights are predictable but vary annually with temperature and rainfall; they are not indicators of ecological disturbance but rather of natural population cycling in warm, humid climates.