Friday, May 14, 2010

♪♫ LOVE IS IN THE AIR ♪♫

It is Spring and with Spring it is said that a young man's fancy turns to love. Here in the deep south it is more than just a young man's fancy...it is Love Bugs ! May always heralds the first hatching of love bugs and sometimes their swarms can be so thick one dares not open their mouth while out doors. Come September there will be another hatching of these harmless, though annoying little bugs.

photo above...Our East Palatka Holly is in bloom and apparently it is favored by love bugs. Here you can see a number of these bugs with their dark black bodies and bright red heads...all in search of one thing...a mate.


Photo below...Under a leaf and enjoying the shade, a pair of Love Bugs get...ah...well, get to know one another better. The female is the larger of the species and the smaller hapless male usually winds up going where she wishes to go...talk about being hen-pecked.In the above photo I couldn't help but notice that some of the tiny white holly flowers are starting to form teeny, wee little berries. For a size comparison (bug to leaf) the Palatka holly leaf is about 2" from stem to tip.



As I mentioned, Love Bugs are harmless, they neither bite nor sting and they don't devour one's garden, however they do make a big mess out of cars and trucks that travel our southern roads. It is also very rare to see a lone love bug ; they are usually found in pairs joined at the hip, so to speak, looking much like an odd two headed critter.

I don't know about you but I have a feeling that I'll be humming "Love is in the air" for the rest of the day.

15 comments:

  1. UGH! They're out here in Texas too. They are such a nuisance. I can't really fault them for doing what nature will have them do, but they get everywhere and we get them in such huge numbers. GRRRR! If there was any up side to the heat last year is that it cut their swarming short.

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  2. Interesting....doesn't sound very fun to me, but at least they're harmless!

    found you via etsy forums, i hope you'll come visit me too:

    http://jdavissquared.blogspot.com/

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  3. Great post ...I will be singing in as well for the rest of today LOL...

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  4. Great post though I don't think I would want to be near that many bugs *Yuck* lol

    Please follow & Comment my blog back?
    http://burningmoonproducts.blogspot.com/

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  5. Oh is that what those things are called? We get them here sometimes, but I always confuse them with lightning bugs. =) I've already seen a couple this year.

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  6. Great photos Anan :)

    I think it must be too cold for them here. You do have some interesting creatures visiting you.

    Have a wonderful weekend, T. :)

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  7. Good Afternoon! Nice to meet you! Popping in to be your newest Follower! Hooray! Swing by my blog and follow me too - when you get a chance.

    Bridgette Groschen
    Groschen Goblins
    www.groschengoblins.com

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  8. How sweet are those love bugs and to have a holly tree in your yard must be wonderful. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and following me. I'm following you now too and I really mean that. I like your writing style and enjoy reading about southern life. I live in Brooklyn, NY. Be consistent with this and you could have a book on your hands.

    http://hauplight.blogspot.com/

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  9. I envy you for the temperatures. Today here in Germany, we have reached 46 degrees and more rain. Can I have some of your hot and muddy air? Even with the bugs?

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  10. Thank you for the comment. I wish to see you again in my blog.
    Have a nice weekend!

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  11. Wow! Talk about interesting! I didn't know this!Thanks for the info. I wonder if my son has love bugs?

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  12. Man, you guys seriously grow em big down there! Yowza! Harmless or not I'd have to enter a decompression chamber before my house for fear that they would get in. Bugs & I are just NOT friends lol

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  13. Hi there! Thanks for stopping by my blog, Taste. I am now following you too :)

    You have some amazing photos on here - I am excited to read and see more!

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