5 Bizarre BUGS You’ll See in Disney World

If you’re having a nice, serene, peaceful day, we’re very sad to ruin that for you.

However, this is a very important topic for those who might be visiting Disney World for the first time ever or the first time in a while. This post comes with a BIG warning. Watch out for the critters that roam around Disney World. When we say critters, we mean the bizarre bugs that are way too big to be referred to as anything BUT critters. So, if you’re visiting Disney soon, here are some of the “bugs” you might encounter.

If you’re unprepared to look at some scary-looking bugs, please do not read this post. We are NOT responsible for emotional distress. Okay. Without further ado, let’s check out some critters that are native to Orlando.

Lovebugs

Lovebugs (Plecia nearctica) are harmless but annoying flies that you’ll see throughout spring and late summer at Disney World. These guys are seemingly EVERYWHERE, and they get caught in our hair, food, drinks, and more. (A lovebug once got stuck in my lip gloss.)

They’re called love bugs because you’ll typically find them attached to another bug — tail to tail. They’re mating — drifting in the breeze as they do so. Disney World is a popular honeymoon destination, after all.

Palmetto Bugs

This one is the most vile of them all. The palmetto bug. Eurycotis floridana. The Florida woods cockroach. These creatures are native to Florida, and they’re everywhere. It doesn’t matter how clean a place is. These bad boys will be there. Somewhere. Lurking.

They typically like cool, damp places, so maybe don’t leave your wet towels on the floor. Well, we’ve never actually seen any of these in a hotel room at Disney World, but we have seen them in the parks. The worst one is over, y’all. This was the worst one. Hopefully, that gives you the encouragement to keep reading.

African Fig Fly

The African fig fly (Zaprionus indianus) is essentially a strange-looking fruit fly. It’s a bit bigger than your typical fruit fly, and it’s also typically red, orange, or yellow. These guys can be spotted anywhere there’s fruit or something sweet.

Ice cream, caramel, spilled juice — you name it, and this guy will likely be near. These are harmless, BTW. They’re just annoying and look scary since they’re typically

Silverfish

A silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) is a little creepy-crawly kind of bug that you’ll typically find in damp, cool places. I have seen one of these in a shower at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort. Unfortunately. They’re harmless, they just look yucky.

When they crawl, they kind of move like a fish would swim. It also kind of looks like a fish since its body tapers at the end. They can also regenerate their antennae and their little legs. They also run FAST.  Gag.

American Pelecinid Wasp

The American pelecinid wasp (Pelecinus polyturator) can be seen all over Disney World. Despite being called a wasp, they don’t sting and are quite harmless. They’re large, black, glossy bugs that have a really long, curved tail.

We’ve seen these a lot at EPCOT, around the gardens. They love gardens, woods, and other places where there’s lots of soil and dirt.

Alright, alright. We’ll stop. There are unfortunately more creepy crawlies that plague Orlando but these are some of the most common. We’ll continue to keep you updated with more Disney news, so follow along. (We promise that the news is usually more magical than this.)

Looking for more strange Disney World facts? Click here!

vHave you ever seen any of these bugs at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!