As summer approaches, it has been predicted that the 'love bug' (red-tipped soldier fly) will see a significant decrease in numbers by mid-July.
Park Sun-jae, a researcher at the National Institute of Biological Resources, answered a question on SBS Radio's 'Kim Tae-hyun's Political Show' on the 1st regarding 'when the love bug disappears,' stating, 'Reports of love bugs typically begin around mid-June. The adult love bug lives for about a week, and considering the life cycles of many adults, we have observed that most of them are expected to disappear by mid-July.'
He added, 'The rainy season usually arrives between late June and early July. Therefore, there tends to be a decrease in the love bug population around the time the rainy season subsides.'
The love bug was first reported in Incheon in 2015. Since 2022, its numbers have surged in northwestern areas, including Eunpyeong District in Seoul and Goyang City in Gyeonggi Province, and it is now reported in all 25 districts of Seoul and neighboring regions in Gyeonggi. It is presumed that the love bugs occurring domestically were introduced from Qingdao in Shandong Province, China. The most plausible hypothesis so far is that they accidentally entered during logistics trade.
Researcher Park stated regarding the numerous love bugs found in mountainous areas like Geyang Mountain and Bukhansan, 'These forests have well-developed leaf litter habitats that are conducive for love bugs to thrive.' He continued, 'When love bug larvae live in soil covered with leaves and become adults, they appear in large swarms and fly in a mating ritual. That's why they are easily noticed by hikers.'
Regarding the lack of natural enemies for love bugs, he noted, 'When new species enter from abroad, it takes time for existing organisms to recognize them as food and start preying on them. In the beginning, there is often explosive growth in their numbers because there are no predators, but usually, they are naturally controlled over time.'
He further mentioned, 'When conducting field investigations, we often observe birds such as magpies and sparrows, as well as creatures like spiders and mantises, preying on love bugs. I believe some form of natural self-regulation will sufficiently activate, but it will require some time for control to occur.'
Researcher Park advised on love bug elimination methods, saying, 'They are attracted to light, so during periods of mass emergence, minimize indoor lighting and wear dark clothing rather than bright colors when going out.'
He added, 'If love bugs enter indoors, you can spray water with a sprayer and clean up with tissue. Regarding the situation where they gather in swarms, we have developed a trapping device that uses light to attract them to specific areas, and we are currently conducting pilot operations in collaboration with the city of Seoul starting this year. If the results are good, we plan to apply it directly in the field.'