Florida’s fall lovebug flight is tapering off, but the insects can still show up on warm roads into early October.

UF/IFAS says lovebugs typically have two major flight periods each year: one in spring and another from late summer into early fall, with the fall peak centered around August and September.

They do not bite or sting. Lovebugs are nuisance flies, not dangerous insects, and the biggest complaint is what happens when swarms hit windshields, grills and painted surfaces.

Fresh splatter is mostly a cleaning problem, but remains left on a hot vehicle can become harder to remove and may damage paint if they bake in the sun.

The practical car-care advice is simple: wash them off promptly. Water and a gentle scrub are usually more useful than waiting until the residue dries.

Lovebugs are often most active during warm parts of the day and can concentrate near roadways.

They are also famous for flying in attached male-female pairs, which is where the common name comes from.

And no, the University of Florida did not create them in a laboratory. UF/IFAS has repeatedly addressed that long-running myth. The nonnative lovebug species spread naturally through the Gulf Coast region before reaching Florida decades ago.

Chemical spraying is generally not useful because flights are widespread and short-lived.

The early-October takeaway: the fall peak is passing, but if you are still seeing pairs on the windshield, quick cleanup is better than letting the residue sit in the Florida sun.