Thousands of Dragonflies Covering Jeju Sea, Disrupting Fishing Operations

An unusual phenomenon has occurred where thousands of dragonflies have covered the waters off the coast of Jeju.

This swarm of dragonflies gathered around fishing vessels, disrupting the work of the crew.

According to a report by JIBS Jeju Broadcasting on the 19th, thousands of dragonflies were estimated to have flown into a fishing boat that was working in the waters near Suwolbong in Han-gyeong-myeon, Jeju City, in the early hours of the previous day.

The video released shows an overwhelming number of dragonflies flocking around the illuminated fishing rods, making the screen blurry. The dragonflies were densely attached to the bodies of those fishing.

A captain of a Jeju fishing vessel stated, "It's not just one or two; it was enough to cover the entire boat," and he shared that "they were sticking to people's backs, making it nearly impossible to operate."

This dragonfly swarm covered the fishing boat for over three hours, making normal fishing activities difficult.

Causes Pointed to Climate Change and Early Rainy Season

Experts have analyzed that the dragonflies covering the waters of Jeju are the species Anisoptera, with a body length measuring 3.7 to 4.2 cm. This species is known to be most frequently observed around mid-July, after the rainy season.

The Anisoptera travels from Southeast Asia through the Korean Peninsula to Kyushu in Japan, preying on pests such as mosquitoes and flies, thus classified as beneficial insects. Notably, this phenomenon occurred in early summer.

Experts suggest that the prolonged hot and humid climate, favorable for dragonfly activity, may have led to an increase in their population.

A similar phenomenon occurred in Jeju last September.

At that time, thousands of dragonflies swarmed a fishing boat near Gimnyeong Port. This time, it was observed in waters several dozen kilometers away from there, near Suwolbong.

However, witnessing such a large-scale dragonfly swarm in early summer is considered a very unusual occurrence.

Image source: A swarm of dragonflies that flew into a fishing boat operating off the coast of Suwolbong in Han-gyeong-myeon, Jeju City, in the early hours of the 18th / JIBS report footage, reference photo for article understanding / Getty Images Bank