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TITUSVILLE, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - As the seasonal invasion of the love bugs continues all over Central Florida, people are getting online and searching for creative ways to get rid of them.
The University of Florida says nothing gets rid of lovebugs for good, but there is one trick that can attract them away from your front door. Fill a white bucket or bowl with baby oil and water. Then watch as the lovebugs gather. This method will not get rid of lovebugs, but it will provide some temporary relief, as it will keep them away from the area around the bowl.
The Brevard County Agricultural Center, which is an extension of the University of Florida, told Fox 35 that lovebugs love the color white. So, putting out a white bowl with water and baby oil will cause them to swarm to their death. However, this method does not take them too far away and once the bowl is full, they will continue to swarm.
The Brevard County Agricultural Center also said that internet hacks are bogus. For example, they said that using citrus or minty smells to keep lovebugs away does not work. Using a wet dryer sheet on your car to get dead lovebugs off also does not work. They said to use a sponge with a mesh or net texture, liquid detergent, and some warm water. Also, remember to not let the dead bugs stick too long, as they will ruin your paint.
RELATED: No, lovebugs did not originate from a University of Florida experiment
Thankfully, lovebugs are not harmful to humans. They are most active in May and October. They are particularly present in Florida because they are attracted to heat and decomposing plant debris
Lovebugs, who actually originated in Central America, usually fly around in mating pairs, hence their name. They migrated through Texas and Louisana before coming to Florida. They continue to expand and can now be found as far north as South Carolina.