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Since May, there have been a number of cases of people complaining of inconvenience due to the large number of oriental harusal in parts of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. They are aesthetically unpleasant as they flock to the lights, but they are not pests that can bite people or carry infectious diseases.
On Twitter and online communities on the 21st, photos and videos of Oriental Harusal were shared in Seoul’s Songpa-gu, Seongdong-gu, and Namyangju districts. In one photo, the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, where the KT Wiz and LG Twins were playing on the evening of the 18th, is covered in Oriental Harusal, both on the field and in the stands.
The Oriental Harusal at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 18th. Twitter swarm
Fans at the game tweeted about the scene, saying, “I thought it was a dream. A dream I never want to have again. The bugs rained down like rain,” “Hundreds of them dropped into the stands,” and “(Oriental day lice) were intuitive,” among other reactions. In the broadcast video of the game, dozens of Oriental Harusal can be seen flying all over the field, including the batter’s box.
Oriental Harusal flying around the batter’s box at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 18th. Image gallery
Dozens of birds clung to the body of a reporter covering a swarm of Oriental Harus in Seoul. According to a report by JTBC on the 18th, when a reporter from JTBC stood under a strong light for about 10 minutes near a tennis court in Seoul, dozens of Oriental Harusal clung to the reporter’s body from head to toe스포츠토토.
With a body length of 1 to 2 centimeters and a wingspan of 5 centimeters, they are often referred to as “Tinkerbell” because of their colorful wings. It is an insect that lives in rivers with clean water of class 2 or higher, and usually appears in Gangdong, Gwangjin, Songpa, Seongdong, and Namyangju in Seoul from May to June. The oriental mayfly is a harmless insect that rushes at lights and causes aesthetic inconvenience, but its mouth has degenerated, so it does not bite people and does not transmit infectious diseases.
Lee Seok-beom, vice mayor of Namyangju City, checks the status of the outbreak of oriental harusal at Hangang Park on the 18th. Courtesy of Namyangju City
Local governments where the oriental mosquito is found have stepped up quarantine efforts this year. In April, Namyangju City installed sticky boards and insect repellents at key spots in the city. Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, recently announced that it will install 44 additional insecticidal devices in residential areas and parks in the city. Seongdong-gu, Seoul, also plans to operate 353 pest control machines along the Han River promenade from this month through September, and strengthen disinfection of resting places for Oriental harusal, such as grassy areas bordering the Han River.