Bugs have been defined as small flying creatures that hurl themselves at airplanes intending, through sheer numbers, to deprive them of flight. While not nearly as effective as icing in changing the shape of a wing’s leading edge, a layer of bug splat does affect performance and efficiency.
Once bugs give their all against a leading edge, the process of decay of makes their remains progressively more difficult to remove. Plus, the enzymes released during decay can damage the paint. Taking 10 minutes as part of a postflight to clean fresh bugs off requires less work and less sophisticated cleaning products than attacking them once they’ve been in place for a few days—water and a damp microfiber cloth will usually be adequate.