Overview

• Environment Ministry activated a 24-hour response team today and is convening an expert panel to coordinate national control efforts.
• Gyeyang District deployed fumigation trucks on July 1 after thousands of complaints pressured officials beyond water sprays and sticky traps.
• Most Seoul and Incheon districts continue to rely on high-pressure water jets and light-based sticky traps to clear swarms without chemicals.
• Researchers trace the lovebugs to Plecia nearctica populations in China’s Shandong Province, noting their resistance to pesticides and adaptation to urban heat islands.
• Despite their roles in pollination and decomposition, the two-week swarms disrupt daily life and have inspired viral mukbangs and edible recipes online.