Love Bugs are really not a "bug" at all – it is a fly (Diptera). But, whatever it is, it is known to bug drivers on Florida's highways as they emerge in April and May and again in September and October.
The "love bug" nickname seems to have evolved by the visible in-flight mating of the species. Females emerge from their larvae into a swarm of males and are grasped by a darting male. The pair falls to the ground where they couple and eventually take flight – often into the path of your speeding vehicle, your boat, or body, if you happen to be out for a walk.
"Love bugs" are drawn to the highways by light and automobile exhaust fumes. If you are traveling mid-morning or mid-to-late-afternoon, you are more likely to have the hood and windshield of your automobile pelted with the winged black "bugs" which leave behind hard-to-remove carcasses.
Other than avoiding the peak hours for the "bugs" flight, not much can be done to spare your automobile. Regular windshield wiper fluid often does not easily remove the bugs and the result of running your wipers is a streaked gooey mess that cuts visibility. Keeping a bucket in your car stocked with a bottle of water, a non-scratch pad, and baking soda is your best defense. The baking soda is known to make removal of the little critters easier.
A reader wrote me an email last summer, "I live in Louisiana the easiest fastest way to remove the love bugs you speak of on your website that plague Florida, Texas and Louisiana — use water and a Bounce® fabric [softner] sheet, will remove the bugs instantly and not scratch the paint. Very best method there is.” I tried this and it works great! I even tried it with another fabric sheet — Snuggle® — and it works just as well. Everyone should be able to keep a small supply of fabric softner sheets in their car along with a bottle of water. Great tip!
source: http://goflorida.about.com/cs/planningyourtrip/a/bugs.htm
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