Not so romantic: Video of lovebug infestation in Incheon goes viral online

As summer heat sets in, swarms of lovebugs — also known as Plecia nearctica — have descended on Mount Gyeyang in Incheon’s Gyeyang District, with videos of the insect invasion going viral online.

A giant swarm of lovebugs is seen at a trail on Mount Gyeyang in Incheon on June 28. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

As summer heat sets in, swarms of lovebugs — also known as Plecia longiforcep — have descended on Mount Gyeyang in Incheon’s Gyeyang District, with videos of the insect invasion going viral online.

A video uploaded on social media on Sunday showed thick clouds of lovebugs flying through the air, to the point that it seemed difficult to breathe. The insects had blanketed wooden staircases and rest areas along the mountain trail, their carcasses piled so densely that the ground was no longer visible.

“The bugs formed a thick carpet of corpses and live insects mixed together,” wrote the uploader of the video. “Anyone who hates bugs would pass out climbing up there.”

Lovebugs, easily identified by their red thoraxes and black wings, have seen a population surge in Korea in recent years, which experts attribute to climate change.

Though the insects do not bite or transmit disease and feed on decaying weeds while pollinating plants — making them ecologically beneficial — they are known to fly directly into people’s faces, causing discomfort.

A pair of lovebugs are seen stuck onto a wall of a residence [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Along with Asian mayflies, lovebugs are classified as quick-breeding, nuisance pests that emerge in droves during the summer, disrupting daily life.

Since 2022, lovebugs have been occurring in large numbers in the northwestern part of Seoul, and recently, they have been observed throughout Seoul and Gyeonggi.

Complaints about lovebug infestations more than doubled last year to 9,296 cases, up from 4,418 in 2023, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Experts recommend the following preventative measures to minimize contact with lovebugs: reduce brightness of outdoor lighting at night, inspect window screens, wear dark clothing when going outside, wash cars frequently to prevent bug-related damage, use sticky traps and avoid using insecticides indoors by instead removing bugs with tissues, brooms or a spray of water.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY LEE JI-YOUNG [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]