Welcome to Lovebug Season, Florida

What's happening: For a few weeks in April and May, these little harmless black march flies emerge from the thatch and find a mate and fly around Florida in great hordes.

• Males and females, um, join together at the lower abdomen and stay that way in flight and while feeding.

The intrigue: They only live for three or four days, but those days are filled with sex.

• After mating, the male dies and the female drags him around until she lays her eggs.

Why it matters: Many thousands of them find their way into Florida homes this time of year, and more are slaughtered by cars, making them a nuisance.

Yes, bug: They don't sting or bite. And they're good for the environment.

• Experts recommend washing your windshield, grill and front bumper regularly, before the bugs dry and corrode your paint.

Flashback: The lovebug problem isn't as bad now as it was in the 1970s, when motorists had to pull off the highway every 10 miles to clean bugs off their windshields.

• They're also not the product of a University of Florida science experiment gone awry. Or so they say.