Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 123, No. 73, Ed. 1 Sunday, September 11, 2005 Page: 5 of 72
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POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11,2005 - PAGE 5A
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Annoying bugs back again
Anyone who has been on the
roads here in East Texas has en-
countered the oh-so-annoying
“lovebug.” These “lovebugs” are
actually flies of the family Bibioni-
dae, having the scientific name
Plecia narctica Hardy. They emerge
as adults and mate in swarms
around roads and buildings.
Although their behavior and their
common name may be amusing,
their presence in such large num-
bers can be somewhat of a nui-
sance. Cars driving through these
swarms become spattered with
these loving bugs. As a result, ra-
diator fans may become clogged,
causing cars to overheat. Insects
spattered on the windshields can
obscure vision and, if the dead in-
sects are not cleaned off, they can
ruin the car’s finish. The body flu-
ids are slightly acid; however, if the
egg mass (average about 350 per
female) and body parts are allowed
to remain on the car for several
days, bacterial action increases the
acidity and etches the paint. A
soaking with water for about five
minutes, followed by a scrubbing
within 15 to 20 minutes should
remove most of the lovebugs with-
out harm to automobile paint.
Lovebug larvae breed in moist
habitats high in organic matter,
such as bar ditches and swampy
areas. They are harmless and im-
mature and actually help nature by
decomposing dead plant tissues.
Mass adult emergence occurs dur-
ing specific periods of the year as
dictated by environmental condi-
tions such as prolonged periods of
soil saturation from rains. Females
are'the larger partner and live only
for 72 to 86 hours, the males about
92 hours. Pairs stay coupled for
about 56 hours (successful fertiliza-
tion taking about 12.5 hours),
though larger male rivals may dis-
rupt and separate the couples. The
male transfers not only sperm, but
also protein and sugar to nourish
the female and her 152 to 600 eggs.
They are naturally attracted to open
spaces within their generally
wooded habitats.
Because of their harmless biol-
ogy, chemical control using insec-
ticides has not been recommended.
. H
m
Mark Currie
County Extension Agent
They do not respond to insect re-
pellants since they are not attracted
by carbon dioxide as are blood-
feeding arthropods. At present, all
that can be done is to learn how to
cope with lovebug swarms. Popula-
tions of adult flies may be drasti-
cally diminished by heavy rains.
Otherwise, adults may naturally be
present for a period of several
weeks in the spring and especially
in the late summer or early fall. It
may be helpful to remember the
following points during swarming
periods:
I Lovebugs do not fly at night,
so driving schedules could be ar-
ranged to avoid swarming flies.
2. Fewer flies are smeared over
car finishes if vehicles are driven at
lower speeds. Some types of com-
mercially available wind deflectors
positioned on the front hood of cars
and trucks may help deflect some
of the flies and keep them from
hitting the windshield.
3. Netting stretched over front
grills can prevent crushed flies
from clogging radiators and thus
prevent overheating on long trips.
These devices are commercially
available.
4. There are commercially avail-
able products containing petroleum
distillates advertised to facilitate
the removal of crushed, dried insect
parts from car finishes.
Extension n roc rams serve neome enterprise photo by cordon ubarron
of all ages regardless of socioeco- NOT IN LOVE WITH LOVEBUGS - Patrick Young of Livingston joins in what has become
nomic level race color sex relm- a *ate summer r>tual >n East Texas, trying to remove lovebugs from the front of his vehicle. The
ion disability or national origin bu8s are rea,,y a type of % and, barring a heavy rain, will likely be around a few more weeks.
Safety seat law spawns confusion
AUSI IN - I here has been some
confusion about a new state law
that requires that all children
younger than 5 years of age and
less than 36 inches tall to be in a
child safety seat system. (“Child
safety seat system” includes car
seats and booster seats, including
high-backed backless boosters.)
“Parents need to remember the
law sets forth minimum safety
standards. In fact, experts recom-
mend that most children need to
continue in booster seats until they
reach around 4 feet, 9 inches tall,”
said C’ol Thomas Davis Jr., direc-
tor of the Department of Public
Safety (DPS). "We hope parents
will not just look at the legal re-
quirements, but also consider what
is safest for their children."
Because of the changes in the
wording of the law, the following
legal interpretation should be ap-
plied:
• Once the child reaches
five years old, they are not Dually
required to be in a child safety seat
system.
• If they are 36 inches or
taller, again, they are not legally
required to be in a child safety seat
system.
• However, if the child is
both less than five years old and
less than .36 inches in height, they
are legally required to be in a car
seat or booster seat.
The law also requires that safety
seats be used according to the
manufacturer's instructions, in-
cluding height and weight guide-
lines.
A child in a poorly-fitting seat
belt usually slumps down, allowing
the seat belt to ride up into their
abdomen or neck, which can cause
severe injuries to the child’s neck
and internal organs during a car
crash.
To know when a child can wear
a seat belt properly without a
RED HOT
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- OPEN LABOR DAY-
Monday, September 5th, 9 AM - 4 PM
1= U R f\l ITU IT EE
. I iSmce 1953 3
I l.ocated 2 miles west of Livingston on Hwy ISO Qfi7-9fiflll
www.pedicofurniture.com r STOREHOURS
327-851 5 Mon -Fri 8 00 am-6 00 pm ___
LIVINGSTON Saturday 8 00 am - 6:00 pm ^ j
3785 Hwy. 190 West
We offer
FREE
Design
Service.
Call for an
appointment.
booster scat, use this simple test:
Have your child sit on the vehi-
cle seat, sitting all the way baek,
with their baek straight against the
back of the seat, and buckle the
lap/shoulder belt over them.
I Do their legs bend naturally at
the knees over the edge of the seat?
2. Does the lap portion of the belt
fit over the top of their thighs?
3. Does the shoulder portion of
the belt fit across the center of their
chest?
If the answer to any of these
three questions is no, the child may
be better protected in a booster
seat.
Although there is no law that
prevents youngsters front sitting in
the front seat of a vehicle, the safest
place for a child in a car is in a rear
seat, properly’ buckled into a child
safety seat or a booster seat.
An hags don't icplace child
safety seats and may increase the
risk ol serious injury to children.
Children younger than 13 should
never ride in the front seats of ve-
hicles with active passenger air
bags.
For more information on proper
child seat installation and use,
please see the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administiation web
site at
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov people in
jury/childps csr200l csrhlml
American Heart
Association
f•QlbPg Mr*»t 0 INIISt^l
HEART ATTACK & STROKE
9-1-1
Read .tluuigns. Raise a flag.
Godfrey Williams
Evacuee from New Or-
leans, Louisiana is searching
for nearby relatives in the
Polk County Area. He needs
to contact his sister-in-law
Mary (Caldwell) Williams
and her Mother Joyce. Also,
Ena, Marco, Ashley and Ash-
ton; who have all come here
from New Orleans and are
staying with the ‘Auntee’ in
Livingston.
Godfrey Williams can be
contacted by the (Chilly
Wade Family) at: (936)
329-1978, (936) 329-
1979, (936) 398-4360 or
Godtel 1(936) 327-5201, (936)
377-2892 ’ 54
'otruen &
Smlc^mienX §
vweA
First National Bank of Livingston is presenting an enlightening
program designed to provide women with personal and legal
information certain to enrich everyday life.
September 26, 2005 • 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Downtown Branch located at 308 W. Church St. • Livingston
Featured Guest Speakers
The Three Ds - Death. Disability and Divorce
R. Malcolm Jones, Attorney-at-law has over 26 years of
experience and specialization in estate planning, banking
law and real estate law. Malcolm will help you understand the
importance of wills, trusts and estate planning as they relate
to the Three Ds - Death, Disabilty and Divorce.
STRESS - “Can’t live with it -
Don’t know how to get out of it”
Pamela C. Grant, MSOE, is a Business Consultant and
Coach who specializes in Management Training and
Development as well as Career Counseling ancf Personal
Coaching. Pamela will help you identify how stress robs you
of energy and learn techniques to eliminate it from your life.
Registration Fee: $10.00 per person
Light Supper Served at 6:00 p.m. • Seating is Limited
Registration deadline September 19, 2005
For information & reservations, please call
Vonda Broussard at 936-328-5502
936-327-1234
800-324-9279
- I Member
Kiwi mousino pnip
LENDER FUIU
First National Bank
www.fnblivingston.com
Downtown Wfstside Onalaska
308 West Church St 1700 West Church St 14114 US Hwy. 190 W.
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 123, No. 73, Ed. 1 Sunday, September 11, 2005, newspaper, September 11, 2005; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth788191/m1/5/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.