Lovebugs (Plecia nearctica) are a common sight here in Florida in the fall. They definitely have their pros and cons. They are actually drawn to car exhaust so they tend to swarm on highways and roads. There they get splattered on windshields and car bodies in great numbers. They aren’t dangerous, but to many people they’re an annoyance. On the other hand, they are good minor pollinators, especially for small flowers like this bee balm. They are also known to be helpful in the breakdown and recycling of organic nutrients in the environment. That’s done by their larvae, but by their sheer numbers, they are important providers of that service. So the next time you’re annoyed by having to clean your windshield yet again, remember, that lovebugs are actually really good for our environment. And besides, they’re only flying for a few weeks a year, and face it, that windshield probably needed to be cleaned anyhow.