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Genus Plecia - Lovebugs

black and orange - 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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