When Love Bugs Attack!!!

[DaytonaJae]

For those of you lucky enough to live in a state where you experience love bug seasons, you understand the importance of cleaning their carcasses off your car pretty much ASAP (you should do this for ANY bug that hits your car)

 

This picture is after APC soak, dual bucket wash, clay, followed by IPA wipe.

 

 

Turns out that they are beyond repair, and the hood will have to get repainted. Wet sanding will probably get rid of some of these, but a majority of them are so deep they catch the MF towels as it passes over.

 

Acid guts + clear coat + not cleaning them off + Florida sun bake = paint damage.

 

And this was supposed to be my first detail on a black vehicle! Just my luck.

[DaytonaJae]

Wow. Is that your car???

 

No its my friends car.

[DaytonaJae]

Is this a lovebug?

 

No, but this is:

 

Lovebug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

This species' reputation as a public nuisance is due not to any bite or sting (it is incapable of either), but to its slightly acidic body chemistry....

 

Their body chemistry has a nearly neutral 6.5 pH but may become acidic at 4.25 pH if left on the car for a day.[2] In the past, the acidity of the dead adult body, especially the female's egg masses, often resulted in pits and etches in automotive paint and chrome if not quickly removed.

[NYJets77]

Is this a lovebug?

 

[Chuckkilo3]

We too have clear bra's on two of our cars (one 3m, the other xpel). I prefer the look without the clear bra but that look doesn't last long once the chips start showing up.

 

 

A properly maintained clear bra is barely noticeable on the paint. I used black vinyl bras for 22 years. I'll take clear over black all day long. They have saved my paint on many occasions. I even put the A pillar and roof clear bras on. I get way too many love bugs to not use some good protection.

 

 

[Sardian]

Clear bra for my vehicles. Love bugs clean off much easier and the paint doesn't have to suffer.

 

We too have clear bra's on two of our cars (one 3m, the other xpel). I prefer the look without the clear bra but that look doesn't last long once the chips start showing up.

[Chuckkilo3]

Clear bra for my vehicles. Love bugs clean off much easier and the paint doesn't have to suffer.

[BlueGenCoupe]

*Moose....don't worry I got your back

 

Thanks..At least I know someone has my back

 

Mooses...Moose. Patato...Potato

[Golf for Life]

What the heck do those bugs eat?

 

Well I'd say one thing they eat is PAINT . Sorry just could not help myself. Sorry to see that the owner waited too long to remove the luv bugs.

[BrianT]

What the heck do those bugs eat?

[DaveVY]

?..I might have a paint correction to do but thats easier than letting the bug guts dry and having to repaint .

 

Makes sense to me! :-)

[gymrat7953]

I live in another part of luv bug world - SE Louisiana. During the season I wash them off everyday. I've tried the WW but have had limited success. I know I'll get blasted for my next comment but ..... I carry dryer sheets in the glove box. I hit the .25 carwash , soak the affected areas, soak the dryer sheets ,give it a wipe down and rinse. I might have a paint correction to do but thats easier than letting the bug guts dry and having to repaint .

[ChargerMatt]

Holy cow!

 

Hey, it's easier to clean off than snow and salt though, amirite?

[Frid]

Im from Canada, we don't have love bugs. We have to avoid Mooses

 

*Moose....don't worry I got your back

 

As for the bugs, I know how you feel. I stayed in GA for a couple years and I know how bad they get down there. Makes you not even want to drive your car/truck.

[mc2hill]

Yeah, I hate love bug season. I'll be getting some of the spray sealant to use before trips. If it works like I think it will, I'll just have to wipe them off at the end of our trip.

 

They won't "just wipe off", but spray with Waterless Car Wash, let sit for a few minutes, and they can be removed with the Waterless Wash towel.

[mc2hill]

Wow Jae, those are worse than I imagined! That's gonna need a little more than touch-up paint!

[Reichler]

Wow. Is that your car???

[DaytonaJae]

Is plural for Mooses Meese?

[BlueGenCoupe]

Im from Canada, we don't have love bugs. We have to avoid Mooses

[NathanJax]

have you thought of putting 3m tape/shield on the hood of the car that way damage like this is avoidable?

 

 

If you don't get it off the 3m stuff it will damage it as well. I'm guessing those bugs/bug guts sat on that car for months in the sun and they never did anything about it.

 

Happens every year in in Florida and Georgia for 3 to 4 weeks...

[BlueGenCoupe]

by the way, those are some nasty swirls

[BlueGenCoupe]

have you thought of putting 3m tape/shield on the hood of the car that way damage like this is avoidable?

 

Just throwing a suggestion out there for those who deal with this kind of stuff

[DaytonaJae]

The bugs are long gone, its the residual damage in the clear coat eaten away by the bugs' stomach acids that cant be buffed out:(

[DaveVY]

Wow! Being here in the Tampa area I've seen some pretty bad love bugs but I've never seen love bugs that won't come off!

 

Are there still bug carcasses on there? Or are those marks just the residual acid marks in the paint?

 

I've usually been able to remove love bug guts even after a month or two, though it would take some bug remover solvents or something like kerosene works well as a last resort. Might need some scrubbing too, but the swirls caused by the scrubbing can be polished out.

 

Let us know if you figure out how to remove those!

 

[Chris@Adams]

Luckily we don't have the Love bug problem.

[NathanJax]

Yeah, I hate love bug season. I'll be getting some of the spray sealant to use before trips. If it works like I think it will, I'll just have to wipe them off at the end of our trip.