Beware of hornets and snakes this autumn, Korea's park service warns

The Korea National Park Service on Wednesday asked hikers to be cautious of poisonous insects and snakes such as hornets and vipers during autumn.

Beehive of different kinds of hornets. Upper row (from left): Vespa mandarinia Smith, Vespa simillima simillima Smith, Vespa analis parallela Andre and Vespa velutina nigrithorax Buysson. Lower row (from left): Polistes (Gyrostoma) rothneyi koreanus Vecht, Polistes (Polistella) snelleni Saussure, Polistes (Polistes) chinensis antennalis Perez, Parapolybia indica and Parapolybia varia [MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT]

The Korea National Park Service on Wednesday asked hikers to be cautious of poisonous insects and snakes such as hornets and vipers during autumn.

As hornets are most active in the fall, hornet stings typically increase during this time every year.

Hikers are advised to pay extra attention as hornets live in trees, artificial structures, underground and rock cracks. The park service asked people to walk on designated trail paths and not to sit on the ground or rocks to prevent stings.

According to research conducted by the service between 2016 and 2018, hats and brightly colored clothes help reduce the risk of getting bitten by insects.

Hornets typically respond aggressively to black and brown — the colors of Asiatic black bears and badgers, their natural enemies.

The authority instructed people to cover and protect their heads if stung by hornets. It also advised them to walk 20 to 30 meters (65 to 100 feet) away from the area and wash the affected body parts with cold water.

Pit vipers inhabit some of Korea's mountains. [MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT]

Additionally, hikers should carefully walk away when encountering venomous snakes, especially pit vipers and tiger keelbacks.

Some viper species typically lay five to 10 eggs in autumn and hunt ahead of their winter hibernation.

Although symptoms caused by the poison of each species vary, all can be fatal. A snake bite can result in skin necrosis, chest pain, cardiac arrest and death by shock at worst.

The authority also recommended that sting or bite victims seek urgent medical care as toxins from hornets or venom from vipers can cause allergic reactions or induce shock.

BY CHO MOON-GYU, LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]