Watch: South Korea battles 'lovebug' invasion

Clouds of the insects blanket apartment walls and mountain trails

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1 MIN READ

First identified in South Korea a decade ago, Seoul is now annually hit by a weeks-long infestation of the Plecia nearctica insect, a type of March fly nicknamed "lovebug" for their distinctive mating behaviour, which sees them fly around in coupled pairs.

Huge clouds of the insects, which are harmless to humans, blanket apartment walls and mountain trails and, after they quickly die, leave behind piles of rotting black remains and a foul stench.

Sticky traps are used to catch lovebugs on the peak of Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon, west of Seoul.
YouTuber Jeon In-hyeop reacts as lovebugs fly around him.

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