Love Bugs

[Mbeck]

Do they have an impact on bee forage (nectar)?

[Charlie B]

I remember those dang bugs when I lived in Florida. What a pain to keep your windshield clear. I have no idea about what you're asking,

[Mbeck]

Do love bugs compete with bees for nectar?

More love bugs=less honey?

[Charlie B]

I honestly don't know but that's a good question.

[Mbeck]

I put 6 supers out for the bees to clean up after extraction.
All covered with bees and love bugs.
The love bugs are definitely feeding on the cells

[Charlie B]

I hate those things. They ruined the paint on the very first car I ever owned. (A while ago).

[Fl_Beak]

some seem to think if the love bugs are on a nectar source, the bees won't touch that nectar source so long as the love bugs are on it.

I've no scientific data

[psisk]

I dont have anything to back it up but I did notice last year that any goldenrod that had love bugs all over it had no bees working it. I know that they sure like anything white including my white truck and my white hives.