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so are love bugs as bad between H and Austin?

  • Thread starter Deleted member 23845
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Deleted member 23845

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All,

Took the Triumph out towards the coast this morning from Sugar Land. Love bugs absolutely covered me. Face shield so bad visibility went way down, clogged air vents, absolute misery. Even into my shirt, and down pants, and into boots. Unbelievable. I spent a good hours cleaning the bike, helmet and such and will wash my mesh jacket and jeans and wipe down boots.

Otherwise a perfect riding day.

Anyway, my buddy Mitch and I are driving to Austin tomorrow afternoon to watch the MotoGP. Taking my new Miata. Are the love bugs going to cover my car too? Are they as bad inland as on the coast? Do I need to bring a bottle of windex and towels? Dang things will eat a paint finish quickly.

Blech.
 
Came back from Houston last weekend and first thing I did was wash the Challenger as the front end was covered
 
Kurt they seem to die out about Bastrop, a pair of mating small black flying bugs that have a rather toxic batch of oil in them

Normally found in the Houston and North east Texas areas for about 2 months a year. Left on a paint job they will eat into the finish after a period of time. No where as bad as in the days before good clear coat paint finishes but still a nasty mess
 
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Love Bugs are an east Texas Gulf Coast tradition. They hatch out in April/May and again in September/October. The conditions have been perfect with the wet weather and warm temps. Do a Google Search; there's a lot of interesting information about Love Bugs.

Saw a friend yesterday, he had maybe 1/2 dozen bugs on the front of his car. I could not see the headlight on my bike after a 60 mile ride (and I washed it before I left the house). Asked how he drove around the Love Bugs and he informed me that he had wiped the front of his car with fabric softener sheets. I've heard that would help, but never tried it myself.

So, this morning I'll wash the bike again and try the fabric softener.

Later, Bud...
 
I agree, they tend not to be all the way in Austin and fade out SE of the area. However, that does mean you will drive through them on the way up here.
 
I drove from Austin down to the Woodlands yesterday. They weren't bad until you get closer to the Houston area. Never seen anything like them. It's like grease on the windshield. Used up all my windshield cleaner and all it pretty much did is smear them.
 
a few ounces of Mr Clean in your washer fluid should clean them right off.
 
I have yet to figure out how a bug evolved to only breed in large groups over roads only.
 
:tab While worse now than in recent years, they aren't even close too being as bad as I have seen them in years past. Back around 2004, they were so bad you simply could not ride. Within a few miles they would cover your visor, windscreen, clog radiators, etc,... There were massive clouds of them around gas stations. There must be something about the gas fumes that attracts them. They were so thick that when you opened your car door to get in/out, they would get sucked into the car. Riders trying to do a track day out at Texas World Speedway could only do 1 or 2 laps before they would have to pit to clean their visors. If you stood around watching the riders, you would be swarmed with bugs. The number of people doing the love bug dance was pretty high, arms flapping and legs hopping trying to keep the bugs off. It was a truly miserable 3-4 weeks before they finally started to thin out a bit. The last 8-9 years they haven't been real bad. This year they do seem a bit thicker.

:tab I have seen truck drivers spray coke on their windshields and letting the acid eat the bug guts before hitting it with the window cleaner. I have heard of people spraying the front of their cars with PAM cooking spray. Like Bud mentioned, their guts can eat right through clear coats and paints if they are not removed in short order.
 
Used to be support manager at Walmart tire and lube and mr clean was our secret trick. We mixed it with regular washer fluid for cleaning windshield and it cut scrubbing in half.
Also smelled good.
 
Kurt they seem to die out about Bastrop

Very accurate statement, Bud. I did an Elgin-Bastrop loop today. Thick love bugs on TX95, nearly none on FM1704, just a few miles west.

Maybe they like pine trees? :shrug:
 
There were some around the COTA/MotoGP area Friday, but the cold front seemed to clear them out for the rest of the weekend.
 
We have clouds of them flying around our home here in Huntsville...
 
There were some around the COTA/MotoGP area Friday, but the cold front seemed to clear them out for the rest of the weekend.



Man! Think of the damage, be coming down front straight wide open and run into cloud of love bugs at well over 150mph.
 
:eek2::sun:I am working on a method to melt them down into glue!
When I succeed, the Gorilla will need to move over.
Then I can rule to world!!! evil laugh...RH
 
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