FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 28 The Florida Highway Patrol is warning motorists on the state's highways to beware of vision impairment caused by lovebugs.
The Highway Patrol said the insects, which are attracted to highways because of the warmth of engine exhaust, could easily render a driver's windshield difficult to see through, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Monday.
Bugs smushed on a driver's windshield "can cause the same impairment to visibility as smog or smoke from wildfires," said Sgt. Jorge Delahoz of the Highway Patrol. The lovebugs, more scientifically known as Plecia nearctica, live for only a few days, during which they engage in marathon aerial dating sessions that last an average of 12 hours.
The insects, which hatch annually from Florida to North Carolina, have been especially prevalent in Florida this season, the Sun-Sentinel said.
Copyright 2007 by UPI
