"Had we exterminated them, environmental groups would have protested."

With the area around Gyeyang Mountain in Incheon covered by the so-called "love bugs," or red-eyed flies, Incheon Gyeyang District Mayor Yoon Hwan emphasized that "citizens need to learn to be a bit more patient."

During a press conference on his third anniversary in office on the 2nd, Mayor Yoon stated, "Perhaps because the habitat environment of Gyeyang Mountain is very favorable, love bugs have gathered here," adding, "This is a situation that arose unexpectedly this year, so there were limits to our response."

He further added, "Since we've been receiving a lot of complaints, I haven't been able to sleep well even at the mention of the 'lu' in love bug."

Love bugs are beneficial insects that help the soil… caution in pest control

Mayor Yoon remarked, "Since love bugs are beneficial insects that improve soil quality, we couldn't respond forcefully," and said, "If we had carried out extermination operations and completely wiped them out, there would have been enormous protests from environmental groups."

He reiterated, "I believe citizens need to learn to be a bit more patient."

Recently, videos of the stairs leading to the summit of Gyeyang Mountain being covered in love bug carcasses have gone viral on social media, resulting in a surge of public dissatisfaction. Love bugs have invaded hiking trail handrails, wooden fences, and even the summit stone, increasing hiker discomfort.

Concerns over the ecological impact of indiscriminate pesticide use

Local governments are refraining from chemical pest control due to concerns about the potential negative effects of indiscriminate pesticide spraying on the ecosystem.

A district office official explained, "We are currently collecting the love bug carcasses piled on the stairs and sprinkling water to remove those stuck on the fences."

Additionally, the district office has installed "sticky traps" that make it easy to remove insects, thereby increasing pest control effectiveness. Gyeyang District plans to continue these pest control operations until the end of this month.

Experts classify them as beneficial insects… but residents find them inconvenient

Experts evaluate love bugs positively, noting that they do not bite humans or spread harmful bacteria, and that their larvae decompose leaves and organic matter in the soil, enriching it, while adults help with pollination like honey bees, thereby playing a positive role in the ecosystem.

However, due to their tendency to swarm and approach people, the majority of citizens perceive them as pests.

Additionally, they pose a safety risk by sticking to car windshields, and if their carcasses accumulate, their acidic secretions may corrode buildings or vehicles.

Image source: News1, Instagram 'kimlark34', Incheon Gyeyang Mountain / Photo = Insight, Mayor Yoon Hwan of Incheon Gyeyang District / News1