US EditionSeoul Wrestles with How to Handle Invasion of ‘Lovebugs’
- Seoul, South Korea, is currently experiencing large swarms of lovebugs covering hiking trails and neighborhoods, notably on Gyeyangsan Mountain near Incheon.
- Experts attribute this increase in lovebugs to climate change and urban heat-island effects, which have created ideal warm conditions for their spread into Seoul's urban areas.
- Although lovebugs do not bite or carry diseases, their overwhelming presence causes significant public annoyance and has more than doubled infestation complaints in Seoul from 4,418 cases in 2023 to 9,296 in 2024.
- Videos showing people swarmed by lovebugs have gone viral, garnering over 9.2 million views, while authorities advise against pesticide use because lovebugs are beneficial insects that carry pollen and enrich soil.
- The continued rise of lovebugs suggests ongoing challenges for local residents and businesses, as the bugs disrupt daily life despite posing no immediate health risks, indicating a need for adaptive urban pest management.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Clouds of Lovebugs Swarm Popular Destination, Leaving Visitors Covered in Insects
A viral video shows a person surrounded by clouds of lovebugs at Gyeyangsan Mountain outside Seoul, South KoreaKyodo via AP Images Picture of lovebugs in Seoul in 2024NEED TO KNOWA viral video with over 9 million views shows a man swarmed by lovebugs during an outing near Seoul, South KoreaThe footage was captured on Gyeyangsan Mountain, where clouds of lovebugs are covering public areasThe video comes amid an increase in lovebug infestations in…
See swarms of ‘lovebugs’ invade South Korea
Video posted on social media shows thousands of ‘lovebugs’ blanketing hiking trails on the Gyeyangsan mountain. South Korea is wrestling with an outbreak of the insects, which have been driven into warmer urban areas like Seoul due to climate change, according to a 2022 study.
Residents of Seoul are dealing with an invasion of so-called 'lovebugs'. The insects, a species of mosquito from the black fly family, are invading walkways, terraces and other open spaces in the Korean capital. Viral images show some places completely covered in a carpet of the creatures. The plecia longiforceps, the official name of the lovebugs, gets its nickname from its conspicuous mating behavior. The insects fly in the air for long period…
In Seoul, the capital of South Korea, a massive number of so-called "lovebugs" have appeared in recent weeks. The insects fly through the city in pairs. They do not pose a danger, but they do cause a lot of nuisance in streets and parks. The local government wants to combat the problem with "ecological means", to the frustration of many residents.
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