Latest news with #PleciaLongiforceps
The Independent
04-07-2025
- Science
- The Independent
What is causing South Korea's ‘lovebug' crisis?
Residents in and around Seoul are battling clouds of insects dubbed 'lovebugs' that have blanketed hiking trails, observation decks, and popular mountain paths. Videos taken this week in Gyeyangsan Mountain, west of the capital, show trees, railings, and stairs crawling with the small black-winged bugs, which are officially known as Plecia longiforceps. The insects have earned the nickname 'lovebugs' because mating pairs fly while attached to each other. While they don't bite or transmit diseases, their sheer numbers have turned outdoor spaces into swarming black clouds, sparking alarm among hikers and tourists. Seoul's city authorities said complaints have more than doubled in a year, soaring from around 4,400 in 2023 to over 9,200 last year, as summer temperatures rise and allow the subtropical species to thrive further north. Originally native to warmer climates, Plecia longiforceps has expanded its range as South Korea warms, a trend experts link to climate change. They were first identified in South Korea during a major 2022 outbreak. The bugs' sudden proliferation has forced officials to dispatch crews to popular sites with water sprays and sticky traps, but Seoul's government has discouraged people from using pesticides due to potential harm to other insects and the environment. 'They have a disgusting appearance but are actually beneficial insects,' Seoul authorities said in public announcements. Residents have been advised to avoid wearing bright colours and limit time near lights at night, which attract the bugs in large numbers. Experts say adult lovebugs only live a few days, so the invasion should ease by mid-July, but officials warn the outbreaks could become an annual nuisance if temperatures continue to climb. Local television stations showed scenes of observation decks swarming with the insects, with workers constantly shovelling dead bugs from the ground. Wang Hyeon-jeong, an official from the Gyeyang district, confirmed the dramatic increase, said: "Compared with the past two years, the number of lovebugs sharply surged last weekend at the mountain." The 395m (1,295ft) mountain provides the type of hot, humid weather conditions in which lovebugs typically thrive, the Environment Ministry said, possibly leading to the insect population surge. In recent years, South Korea has experienced a series of unusually hot summers, with rising average temperatures extending further into spring and autumn. Experts believe these warmer, longer summers are allowing subtropical species like lovebugs to move north and survive in places like Seoul and Incheon, which were previously too cool for large populations to establish. Another factor is urban heat islands: large cities like Seoul can be several degrees warmer than surrounding rural areas because concrete and asphalt absorb and release heat, creating microclimates where insects adapted to warmer conditions can thrive. Moisture from recent rains or monsoon periods can further accelerate lovebug reproduction by providing ideal breeding conditions. Not just lovebugs, but many insects and other species are shifting into regions that were once too cold for them as global temperatures rise due to the burning of oil, gas and coal. In Europe, the tiger mosquito, a carrier of dengue and chikungunya, has spread north into France and Germany. In the US, southern pine beetles have moved into forests of the northeastern states, damaging trees that were previously protected by colder winters. Experts say this poleward and uphill spread of species is one of the most immediate and visible impacts of the climate crisis on ecosystems worldwide.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Yahoo
What is happening in South Korea? Seoul has caught the lovebug that nobody wants
South Korea has recently been hit by another surge of lovebugs. But romance is certainly not in the air for residents of Seoul and neighboring Incheon city, who have been plagued by these pesky insects in recent weeks, as rising temperatures due to climate change spur their spread. On Friday, dozens of government workers were sent to Gyeyangsan, a mountain west of the capital, to manage an 'extremely severe outbreak,' the country's environment ministry said in a statement. Videos on social media earlier this week showed scenic hiking trails along the peak transformed into buzzing corridors of chaos. Footage shows hikers thrashing through swarms of thumbnail-sized bugs, with one person engulfed by the black-winged creatures and another scooping thousands of tiny carcasses from the trail. In a YouTube video, a man collected thousands of the insects and took them home to make them into hamburgers, which he then appeared to eat. Lovebugs, known scientifically as Plecia longiforceps, get their nickname from their mating behavior when they fling into each other while flying. They are found in the subtropics including southeastern China, Taiwan, and Japan's Ryukyu Islands. They also occur in parts of Central America and the southern United States, including Texas and Florida. First detected in South Korea in 2015, they are believed to have arrived there from southern China, according to the environment ministry. Since 2022, they have appeared in and around Seoul, particularly port areas, between June and July, it added. Experts say climate change and warming temperatures are helping drive lovebugs northward into areas such as Seoul and Incheon. While global warming is a planet-wide issue, scientists have identified Seoul as an area where temperatures are rising at a faster pace than in other parts of the world. This is worsened by the city's heat-island effect, where temperatures are much higher than in nearby rural areas due to man-made structures absorbing and holding more heat. 'With climate change increasing ecological instability, we must remain vigilant throughout the summer,' Kim Tae-o, director of the environment ministry, said. Lovebugs do not transmit diseases or sting humans. However, there have been increasing public complaints about them sticking to car windows and the walls of houses, restaurants and subway trains. So far, officials have advised local workers and residents to combat swarms by spraying water or using sticky pads instead of chemical pesticides. Populations are expanding in the northwest of South Korea, however any further potential spread remains unknown. 'Compared with the past two years, the number of lovebugs sharply surged last weekend at the mountain,' Gyeyang district official Wang Hyeon-jeong said on Tuesday. Areas with a warm, humid climate could attract them, being favorable conditions for their survival and reproduction. The city government of Seoul views the lovebugs as 'ecologically beneficial,' posing no health risk to humans and helping pollinate flowers as their larvae convert plant materials into organic components. However, local media reports that complaints to the city have more than doubled, increasing from 4,418 in 2023 to 9,296 last year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. On Friday, environment ministers agreed to strengthen and invest more in response procedures after the latest outbreak, which it described as 'extremely severe.' 'We will closely monitor the situation and work with local authorities from the early stages of any outbreak,' Kim said. But natural population control is reportedly setting in, as birds such as sparrows and magpies learn to eat the bugs, causing their numbers to fall.
CNN
04-07-2025
- CNN
What is happening in South Korea? Seoul has caught the lovebug that nobody wants
South Korea has recently been hit by another surge of lovebugs. But romance is certainly not in the air for residents of Seoul and neighboring Incheon city, who have been plagued by these pesky insects in recent weeks, as rising temperatures due to climate change spur their spread. On Friday, dozens of government workers were sent to Gyeyangsan, a mountain west of the capital, to manage an 'extremely severe outbreak,' the country's environment ministry said in a statement. Videos on social media earlier this week showed scenic hiking trails along the peak transformed into buzzing corridors of chaos. Footage shows hikers thrashing through swarms of thumbnail-sized bugs, with one person engulfed by the black-winged creatures and another scooping thousands of tiny carcasses from the trail. In a YouTube video, a man collected thousands of the insects and took them home to make them into hamburgers, which he then appeared to eat. Lovebugs, known scientifically as Plecia longiforceps, get their nickname from their mating behavior when they fling into each other while flying. They are found in the subtropics including southeastern China, Taiwan, and Japan's Ryukyu Islands. They also occur in parts of Central America and the southern United States, including Texas and Florida. First detected in South Korea in 2015, they are believed to have arrived there from southern China, according to the environment ministry. Since 2022, they have appeared in and around Seoul, particularly port areas, between June and July, it added. Experts say climate change and warming temperatures are helping drive lovebugs northward into areas such as Seoul and Incheon. While global warming is a planet-wide issue, scientists have identified Seoul as an area where temperatures are rising at a faster pace than in other parts of the world. This is worsened by the city's heat-island effect, where temperatures are much higher than in nearby rural areas due to man-made structures absorbing and holding more heat. 'With climate change increasing ecological instability, we must remain vigilant throughout the summer,' Kim Tae-o, director of the environment ministry, said. Lovebugs do not transmit diseases or sting humans. However, there have been increasing public complaints about them sticking to car windows and the walls of houses, restaurants and subway trains. So far, officials have advised local workers and residents to combat swarms by spraying water or using sticky pads instead of chemical pesticides. Populations are expanding in the northwest of South Korea, however any further potential spread remains unknown. 'Compared with the past two years, the number of lovebugs sharply surged last weekend at the mountain,' Gyeyang district official Wang Hyeon-jeong said on Tuesday. Areas with a warm, humid climate could attract them, being favorable conditions for their survival and reproduction. The city government of Seoul views the lovebugs as 'ecologically beneficial,' posing no health risk to humans and helping pollinate flowers as their larvae convert plant materials into organic components. However, local media reports that complaints to the city have more than doubled, increasing from 4,418 in 2023 to 9,296 last year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. On Friday, environment ministers agreed to strengthen and invest more in response procedures after the latest outbreak, which it described as 'extremely severe.' 'We will closely monitor the situation and work with local authorities from the early stages of any outbreak,' Kim said. But natural population control is reportedly setting in, as birds such as sparrows and magpies learn to eat the bugs, causing their numbers to fall.
CNN
04-07-2025
- CNN
What is happening in South Korea? Seoul has caught the lovebug that nobody wants
South Korea has recently been hit by another surge of lovebugs. But romance is certainly not in the air for residents of Seoul and neighboring Incheon city, who have been plagued by these pesky insects in recent weeks, as rising temperatures due to climate change spur their spread. On Friday, dozens of government workers were sent to Gyeyangsan, a mountain west of the capital, to manage an 'extremely severe outbreak,' the country's environment ministry said in a statement. Videos on social media earlier this week showed scenic hiking trails along the peak transformed into buzzing corridors of chaos. Footage shows hikers thrashing through swarms of thumbnail-sized bugs, with one person engulfed by the black-winged creatures and another scooping thousands of tiny carcasses from the trail. In a YouTube video, a man collected thousands of the insects and took them home to make them into hamburgers, which he then appeared to eat. Lovebugs, known scientifically as Plecia longiforceps, get their nickname from their mating behavior when they fling into each other while flying. They are found in the subtropics including southeastern China, Taiwan, and Japan's Ryukyu Islands. They also occur in parts of Central America and the southern United States, including Texas and Florida. First detected in South Korea in 2015, they are believed to have arrived there from southern China, according to the environment ministry. Since 2022, they have appeared in and around Seoul, particularly port areas, between June and July, it added. Experts say climate change and warming temperatures are helping drive lovebugs northward into areas such as Seoul and Incheon. While global warming is a planet-wide issue, scientists have identified Seoul as an area where temperatures are rising at a faster pace than in other parts of the world. This is worsened by the city's heat-island effect, where temperatures are much higher than in nearby rural areas due to man-made structures absorbing and holding more heat. 'With climate change increasing ecological instability, we must remain vigilant throughout the summer,' Kim Tae-o, director of the environment ministry, said. Lovebugs do not transmit diseases or sting humans. However, there have been increasing public complaints about them sticking to car windows and the walls of houses, restaurants and subway trains. So far, officials have advised local workers and residents to combat swarms by spraying water or using sticky pads instead of chemical pesticides. Populations are expanding in the northwest of South Korea, however any further potential spread remains unknown. 'Compared with the past two years, the number of lovebugs sharply surged last weekend at the mountain,' Gyeyang district official Wang Hyeon-jeong said on Tuesday. Areas with a warm, humid climate could attract them, being favorable conditions for their survival and reproduction. The city government of Seoul views the lovebugs as 'ecologically beneficial,' posing no health risk to humans and helping pollinate flowers as their larvae convert plant materials into organic components. However, local media reports that complaints to the city have more than doubled, increasing from 4,418 in 2023 to 9,296 last year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. On Friday, environment ministers agreed to strengthen and invest more in response procedures after the latest outbreak, which it described as 'extremely severe.' 'We will closely monitor the situation and work with local authorities from the early stages of any outbreak,' Kim said. But natural population control is reportedly setting in, as birds such as sparrows and magpies learn to eat the bugs, causing their numbers to fall.
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Seoul's Swarm of 'lovebugs'
People in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, are dealing with a big bug black insects nicknamed lovebugs have shown up all over the city - especially in parks and hiking areas. Some paths are completely covered in online show places like Gyeyangsan Mountain where areas have turned completely black because of how many bugs there are. The insect's official name is Plecia known as lovebugs because they fly around stuck together in pairs as if they're having a big lovebug hug. The male bugs only live for three to four days, and the females about a week, which they spend laying hundreds of eggs in damp soil. Although they might look a bit gross, lovebugs actually help nature. Seoul authorities said in public announcements: "They have a disgusting appearance but are actually beneficial insects."They pollinate flowers, and their young (known as larvae) help make soil healthier by breaking down old plants and leaves. City officials say they don't want to spray them with harsh chemicals, as it could also be harmful for other people are being asked to use water sprays to wash them away, put sticky pads near lights, and wear dark clothes outside. That's because lovebugs are attracted to bright lights and many people have had enough. A recent survey found that most Seoul residents think lovebugs are pests. In fact, in a survey they were voted the third most annoying insect in the city — after cockroaches and bedbugs. The lovebugs themselves are completely harmless to humans and do not bite, feasting on plants instead. Originally from subtropical regions (warm, hot areas with high humidity) of south-eastern China, Taiwan and Japan's Ryukyu Islands, the lovebugs were first identified in South Korea during a major outbreak in they never stick around for long, and their appearance will be short lived - literally. They usually disappear by the middle of July, because they only live for a short time.
