Millions Of 'Lovebugs' Swarm Hikers As South Korea Warms

2025-07-02 11:18:04

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Residents in and around the South Korean capital Seoul are complaining about swarms of black insects dubbed "lovebugs" covering hiking trails and ambushing people, as rising temperatures due to climate change spur their spread.

Video from hiking trails in Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul, this week showed the millions of black-winged bugs buzzing people and covering trees, rails and stairs.

Recommended For You

The bugs, formally Plecia longiforceps, have been dubbed "lovebugs" because female and male bugs fly attached to each other while mating.

Originally from warm climates, the bugs' numbers during summer in the wider Seoul metropolitan area have surged in recent years partly due to rising temperatures, leading to a skyrocketing number of complaints.

The City of Seoul said some 9,296 complaints about "lovebugs" were received last year, compared to 4,418 in 2023.

MENAFN02072025000049011007ID1109754835

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.