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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Flies (Diptera) » "Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera) » Bibionomorpha » March Flies (Bibionidae) » Lovebugs (Plecia)

Genus Plecia - Lovebugs

Classification · Numbers · Size · Identification · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Lovebugs - Plecia - male - female Lovin' - Plecia - male - female Lovebugs - Plecia - male - female - - Plecia black and orange - Plecia - male - female Love Bugs - Plecia - male - female Lovebugs - Plecia - male - female Love Bugs - Plecia - male - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Diptera (Flies)
No Taxon ("Nematocera" (Non-Brachycera))
Infraorder Bibionomorpha
Family Bibionidae (March Flies)
Genus Plecia (Lovebugs)
Numbers
Two North American species: P. americana and P. nearctica (see nearctica.com)
Size
13-15 mm
Identification
Dark flies with prominent reddish thorax.
Season
Spring (usually May), and fall (October).
Food
Adults take nectar, other fluids.
Life Cycle
Eggs are deposited in moist areas. Larvae feed on decaying organic matter. Swarms of copulating adults can be a pest. Females live for approximately one week.
Print References
Arnett, p. 854, figs. 29.14, 29.15 (1)
Arnett, #316 (2)
Deyrup, pp. 122-123, has several photographs of P. nearctica (3)
Drees, p. 204, fig. 216 (4)
Internet References
Love Bug--Featured Creatures--gives a key to the two species
Univ. of Florida Entomology 3005 notes on Plecia
Plecia nearctica (TAMU)
NCSU Entomology Collection lists both species for North Carolina, with P. americana being more common in the collection than nearctica.
Works Cited
1.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
By Ross H. Arnett
2.Simon & Schuster's Guide to Insects
By Dr. Ross H. Arnett, Dr. Richard L. Jacques
3.Florida's Fabulous Insects
By Mark Deyrup, Brian Kenney, Thomas C. Emmel
4.A Field Guide to Common Texas Insects
By Bastiaan M. Drees, John A. Jackman
Contributed by Cotinis on 17 May, 2004 - 4:11pm

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