Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone know if love bugs are toxic for dragons to eat similar to fire-flys?

I know they are not eaten by other animals and look just like a firefly minus the glowing apparatus.

We have them all over the place certain times of the year here in FL.

Never heard of love bugs, unless you mean Lady bugs..either way, if other animals avoid eating them, I would not feed them to my dragon. The fact other animals don't like them, usually means one of two things, they are highly toxic, or highly unpleasant to eat (usually due to producing a foul secretion).

Actually only 'love bug' I have heard of is Herbie...the volkwagan beetle.

After some research, these bugs don't seem toxic..but they are rather acidic which makes them not very well liked, except by a few predatory creatures. A bearded dragon may not eat them at all, or no more than one or two before their acidic/bitter taste turns them off.
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PHLdyPayne

We get them all the time in the summer here in Louisiana. Nothing eats them and they are very acidic. They cake over your car and will eventually strip the paint off if enough accumulate while driving through the swarms of them. I am not sure if they are toxic, but I wouldnt risk it.

Thanks... I was concerned about a dragon eating one accidentally.

They are everywhere certain times of the year down here in Florida.

Didnt know if they were toxic like the lightning bugs because they seem to look identical.