Latest news with #lovebugs
Malay Mail
09-07-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Rotten insects, viral videos and climate change: South Korea battles ‘lovebug' invasion
INCHEON, July 10 — K-pop's BTS are grossed out by them. A YouTuber ate them. Hikers plough through them: South Korea is dealing with a 'lovebug' invasion that experts say highlights worsening climate change. First identified in South Korea a decade ago, Seoul is now annually hit by a weeks-long infestation of the Plecia nearctica insect, a type of March fly nicknamed 'lovebug' for their distinctive mating behaviour, which sees them fly around in coupled pairs. Huge clouds of the insects, which are harmless to humans, blanket apartment walls and mountain trails and, after they quickly die, leave behind piles of rotting black remains and a foul stench. Complaints about the bugs, which scientists believe came from southern China and have surged with rising temperatures linked to climate change, have risen sharply, Seoul city data showed. Even K-pop BTS idol RM is seen seemingly cursing upon spotting the insects in a viral video, with fellow bandmember Jin separately seen casually blowing a lovebug out of his way mid-performance. 'In general, many insects tend to grow more rapidly in warmer temperatures,' Ju Jung-won, a deputy researcher at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, told AFP. 'As for the lovebugs, it looks like the temperature and environment found in foreign regions where they are active are now taking hold in South Korea as well, allowing them to survive here.' At the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul, public servants wearing makeshift protective gear struggled to clear piles of dead insects, as vast swarms of the bugs circled in the air, making it hard for people in the area to keep their eyes open. At their worst, the piles of dead lovebugs in parts of the mountain were 'stacked more than 10 centimetres (four inches) high,' said Jung Yong-sun, 59, who was tasked with pest-control duties. Walking through them, he added, 'felt like stepping on something soft and cushiony.' The unpleasant odour took many by surprise. 'At first, I thought it was food waste... Turns out, it was the stench of dead bugs,' said Ahn So-young, a 29-year-old hiker. 'I cried when I came up here. I was so scared.' Lovebugs crawl over a wooden post on the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul July 3, 2025. — AFP pic 'Really delicious' Park Sun-jae, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Biological Resources, told AFP that the bugs were first reported in South Korea in Incheon in 2015. 'Since 2022, the population has begun to surge,' Park said, adding that they were now 'found throughout the greater Seoul metropolitan area'. This year, the infestation has been widely documented online, with content creators flocking to the worst-affected areas to cash in on the inundation. One YouTuber collected a massive pile of the bugs and turned them into a 'burger patty', mixing them into batter before frying and eating them on camera. 'It's not bad. It's really delicious,' he said in the video, which has garnered more than 648,000 views. On Gyeyangsan Mountain, content creators Kim Ji-young and Sam Jung intentionally dressed in white — a colour known to attract the bugs — and filmed themselves being swarmed. 'This is probably something I'll never experience again in my lifetime,' Jung said, as his hat and clothes were crawling with the bugs. Lovebugs crawl over a wooden post on the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul July 3, 2025. — AFP pic 'Beneficial insects?' But for many Seoul residents, the bugs aren't just a viral moment. They are disrupting daily routines. In Daejo Market in Seoul's Eunpyeong district, restaurant owners had to constantly blow the bugs away to protect their ingredients. Dead insects kept piling up on the floor — putting severe pressure to the cleaners' workload. 'I want to be able to eat lunch without worrying about lovebugs landing on my face or getting into my food,' business owner Chang Seo-young, 48, told AFP. Lovebugs — seen by South Korean officials as 'beneficial insects' for breaking down plant matter — typically disappear naturally by early July. But scientists warn that given the unpredictability of the climate crisis, the possibility of insect species — including ones more harmful than lovebugs — invading the country cannot be ruled out. 'I worry that future generations will have to suffer so much,' said Jeon In-hyeop, a 29-year-old visitor to Gyeyangsan Mountain, after surveying parts of the summit covered in bugs. 'I feel like our children might end up living in a much more unfortunate world.' — AFP
CNA
09-07-2025
- Science
- CNA
Rotten insects, viral videos and climate change: South Korea battles 'lovebug' invasion
INCHEON: K-pop's BTS are grossed out by them. A YouTuber ate them. Hikers plough through them: South Korea is dealing with a "lovebug" invasion that experts say highlights worsening climate change. First identified in South Korea a decade ago, Seoul is now annually hit by a weeks-long infestation of the Plecia nearctica insect, a type of March fly nicknamed "lovebug" for their distinctive mating behaviour, which sees them fly around in coupled pairs. Huge clouds of the insects, which are harmless to humans, blanket apartment walls and mountain trails and, after they quickly die, leave behind piles of rotting black remains and a foul stench. Complaints about the bugs, which scientists believe came from southern China and have surged with rising temperatures linked to climate change, have risen sharply, Seoul city data showed. Even K-pop BTS idol RM is seen seemingly cursing upon spotting the insects in a viral video, with fellow bandmember Jin separately seen casually blowing a lovebug out of his way mid-performance. "In general, many insects tend to grow more rapidly in warmer temperatures," Ju Jung-won, a deputy researcher at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, told AFP. "As for the lovebugs, it looks like the temperature and environment found in foreign regions where they are active are now taking hold in South Korea as well, allowing them to survive here." At the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul, public servants wearing makeshift protective gear struggled to clear piles of dead insects, as vast swarms of the bugs circled in the air, making it hard for people in the area to keep their eyes open. At their worst, the piles of dead lovebugs in parts of the mountain were "stacked more than 10cm high," said Jung Yong-sun, 59, who was tasked with pest-control duties. Walking through them, he added, "felt like stepping on something soft and cushiony". The unpleasant odour took many by surprise. "At first, I thought it was food waste ... Turns out, it was the stench of dead bugs," said Ahn So-young, a 29-year-old hiker. "I cried when I came up here. I was so scared." "REALLY DELICIOUS" Park Sun-jae, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Biological Resources, told AFP that the bugs were first reported in South Korea in Incheon in 2015. "Since 2022, the population has begun to surge," Park said, adding that they were now "found throughout the greater Seoul metropolitan area". This year, the infestation has been widely documented online, with content creators flocking to the worst-affected areas to cash in on the inundation. One YouTuber collected a massive pile of bugs and turned them into a "burger patty", mixing them into batter before frying and eating them on camera. "It's not bad. It's really delicious," he said in the video, which has garnered more than 648,000 views. On Gyeyangsan Mountain, content creators Kim Ji-young and Sam Jung intentionally dressed in white, a colour known to attract the bugs, and filmed themselves being swarmed. "This is probably something I'll never experience again in my lifetime," Jung said, as his hat and clothes were crawling with the bugs. BENEFICIAL INSECTS? But for many Seoul residents, the bugs are not just a viral moment. They are disrupting daily routines. In Daejo Market in Seoul's Eunpyeong district, restaurant owners had to constantly blow the bugs away to protect their ingredients. Dead insects kept piling up on the floor, putting severe pressure on the cleaners' workload. "I want to be able to eat lunch without worrying about lovebugs landing on my face or getting into my food," business owner Chang Seo-young, 48, told AFP. Lovebugs, seen by South Korean officials as "beneficial insects" for breaking down plant matter, typically disappear naturally by early July. But scientists warn that given the unpredictability of the climate crisis, the possibility of insect species, including ones more harmful than lovebugs, invading the country cannot be ruled out. "I worry that future generations will have to suffer so much," said Jeon In-hyeop, a 29-year-old visitor to Gyeyangsan Mountain, after surveying parts of the summit covered in bugs.
France 24
09-07-2025
- Science
- France 24
Rotten insects, viral videos and climate change: S.Korea battles 'lovebug' invasion
First identified in South Korea a decade ago, Seoul is now annually hit by a weeks-long infestation of the Plecia nearctica insect, a type of March fly nicknamed "lovebug" for their distinctive mating behaviour, which sees them fly around in coupled pairs. Huge clouds of the insects, which are harmless to humans, blanket apartment walls and mountain trails and, after they quickly die, leave behind piles of rotting black remains and a foul stench. Complaints about the bugs, which scientists believe came from southern China and have surged with rising temperatures linked to climate change, have risen sharply, Seoul city data showed. Even K-pop BTS idol RM is seen seemingly cursing upon spotting the insects in a viral video, with fellow bandmember Jin separately seen casually blowing a lovebug out of his way mid-performance. "In general, many insects tend to grow more rapidly in warmer temperatures," Ju Jung-won, a deputy researcher at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, told AFP. "As for the lovebugs, it looks like the temperature and environment found in foreign regions where they are active are now taking hold in South Korea as well, allowing them to survive here." At the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul, public servants wearing makeshift protective gear struggled to clear piles of dead insects, as vast swarms of the bugs circled in the air, making it hard for people in the area to keep their eyes open. At their worst, the piles of dead lovebugs in parts of the mountain were "stacked more than 10 centimetres (four inches) high," said Jung Yong-sun, 59, who was tasked with pest-control duties. Walking through them, he added, "felt like stepping on something soft and cushiony." The unpleasant odour took many by surprise. "At first, I thought it was food waste... Turns out, it was the stench of dead bugs," said Ahn So-young, a 29-year-old hiker. "I cried when I came up here. I was so scared." 'Really delicious' Park Sun-jae, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Biological Resources, told AFP that the bugs were first reported in South Korea in Incheon in 2015. "Since 2022, the population has begun to surge," Park said, adding that they were now "found throughout the greater Seoul metropolitan area". This year, the infestation has been widely documented online, with content creators flocking to the worst-affected areas to cash in on the inundation. One YouTuber collected a massive pile of the bugs and turned them into a "burger patty", mixing them into batter before frying and eating them on camera. "It's not bad. It's really delicious," he said in the video, which has garnered more than 648,000 views. On Gyeyangsan Mountain, content creators Kim Ji-young and Sam Jung intentionally dressed in white — a colour known to attract the bugs — and filmed themselves being swarmed. "This is probably something I'll never experience again in my lifetime," Jung said, as his hat and clothes were crawling with the bugs. Beneficial insects? But for many Seoul residents, the bugs aren't just a viral moment. They are disrupting daily routines. In Daejo Market in Seoul's Eunpyeong district, restaurant owners had to constantly blow the bugs away to protect their ingredients. Dead insects kept piling up on the floor -- putting severe pressure to the cleaners' workload. "I want to be able to eat lunch without worrying about lovebugs landing on my face or getting into my food," business owner Chang Seo-young, 48, told AFP. Lovebugs -— seen by South Korean officials as "beneficial insects" for breaking down plant matter —- typically disappear naturally by early July. But scientists warn that given the unpredictability of the climate crisis, the possibility of insect species -- including ones more harmful than lovebugs -- invading the country cannot be ruled out. "I worry that future generations will have to suffer so much," said Jeon In-hyeop, a 29-year-old visitor to Gyeyangsan Mountain, after surveying parts of the summit covered in bugs. © 2025 AFP
Japan Times
09-07-2025
- Science
- Japan Times
South Korea battles 'lovebug' invasion amid climate change
K-pop's BTS are grossed out by them. A YouTuber ate them. Hikers plow through them: South Korea is dealing with a "lovebug" invasion that experts say highlights worsening climate change. First identified in South Korea a decade ago, Seoul is now annually hit by a weeks-long infestation of the Plecia nearctica insect, a type of March fly nicknamed "lovebug" for their distinctive mating behavior, which sees them fly around in coupled pairs. Huge clouds of the insects, which are harmless to humans, blanket apartment walls and mountain trails and, after they quickly die, leave behind piles of rotting black remains and a foul stench. Complaints about the bugs, which scientists believe came from southern China and have surged with rising temperatures linked to climate change, have risen sharply, Seoul city data showed. Even BTS member RM is seen seemingly cursing upon spotting the insects in a viral video, with fellow bandmember Jin separately seen casually blowing a lovebug out of his way mid-performance. "In general, many insects tend to grow more rapidly in warmer temperatures," Ju Jung-won, a deputy researcher at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said. "As for the lovebugs, it looks like the temperature and environment found in foreign regions where they are active are now taking hold in South Korea as well, allowing them to survive here." At the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul, public servants wearing makeshift protective gear struggled to clear piles of dead insects, as vast swarms of the bugs circled in the air, making it hard for people in the area to keep their eyes open. At their worst, the piles of dead lovebugs in parts of the mountain were "stacked more than 10 centimeters (four inches) high," said Jung Yong-sun, a 59-year-old official who was tasked with pest-control duties. Walking through them, he added, "felt like stepping on something soft and cushiony." The unpleasant odor took many by surprise. "At first, I thought it was food waste ... Turns out, it was the stench of dead bugs," said Ahn So-young, a 29-year-old hiker. "I cried when I came up here. I was so scared." 'Really delicious' Park Sun-jae, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Biological Resources, said that the bugs were first reported in South Korea in Incheon in 2015. "Since 2022, the population has begun to surge," Park said, adding that they are now "found throughout the greater Seoul metropolitan area." This year, the infestation has been widely documented online, with content creators flocking to the worst-affected areas to cash in on the inundation. YouTuber Kim Ji-young fans herself as lovebugs crawl over her clothes and fly around her on the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon on July 3. | AFP-JIJI One YouTuber collected a massive pile of the bugs and turned them into a "burger patty," mixing them into batter before frying and eating them on camera. "It's not bad. It's really delicious," he said in the video, which has garnered more than 648,000 views. On Gyeyangsan Mountain, content creators Kim Ji-young and Sam Jung intentionally dressed in white — a color known to attract the bugs — and filmed themselves being swarmed. "This is probably something I'll never experience again in my lifetime," Jung said, as his hat and clothes were crawling with the bugs. Beneficial insects? But for many Seoul residents, the bugs aren't just a viral moment. They are disrupting daily routines. In Daejo Market in Seoul's Eunpyeong district, restaurant owners had to constantly blow the bugs away to protect their ingredients. Dead insects kept piling up on the floor — putting severe pressure to the workload of cleaners. "I want to be able to eat lunch without worrying about lovebugs landing on my face or getting into my food," business owner Chang Seo-young, 48, said. Lovebugs — seen by South Korean officials as "beneficial insects" for breaking down plant matter — typically disappear naturally by early July. But scientists warn that given the unpredictability of the climate crisis, the possibility of insect species — including ones more harmful than lovebugs — invading the country cannot be ruled out. "I worry that future generations will have to suffer so much," said Jeon In-hyeop, a 29-year-old visitor to Gyeyangsan Mountain, after surveying parts of the summit covered in bugs. "I feel like our children might end up living in a much more unfortunate world."
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.
