Repellant lovebugs not yummy enough for birds and frogs to eat, experts warn
by KoreaJoongAngDaily
Lovebugs swarm and cling to tents at a ceremony marking the opening of the Incheon Subway Line 1 extension at Singeomdan Jungang Station in Seo District, Incheon, on June 27, 2025. [YONHAP]
Birds and frogs probably won't help mitigate lovebug swarms in Korea because the insects are "too acidic to eat," according to experts, leaving frustrated residents to fend off the bugs on their own.
Yet authorities say they cannot launch aggressive pest control efforts because the insects, despite being a significant nuisance, are still considered beneficial to the ecosystem.
Complaints tied to lovebugs jumped to 9,296 cases last year, more than doubling from 4,418 the previous year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
In Incheon, where large swarms were spotted over the weekend around Mount Gyeyang, the impact has been sharper.
“Last year, we had 62 reports related to lovebugs. But by June 27 [this year], we’re already looking at around 360,” said an official from the infectious disease management division of the Incheon Gyeyang District Office.
The surge in lovebug populations is leaving many Koreans frustrated and uneasy. But experts note there are no significant natural predators that feed on adult lovebugs, making biological control nearly impossible.
Birds, frogs, toads and other insects typically avoid them. Scientists believe that this is mainly due to the insects’ acidity.
Lovebugs stick onto a sticky trap at Mount Gyeyang in Incheon on June 30. [YONHAP]
"Adult lovebugs escape predations because of their acidic taste," Carol Wyatt Evens, a researcher at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Sarasota County Extension, wrote in a 2020 column.
The Environmental Literacy Council, an international environmental group, offered a similar explanation.
"Love bugs aren’t [frogs'] preferred delicacy due to their acidic taste and potentially tougher exoskeleton," it said, but noted that the amphibians will feed on them if other food sources are scarce.
Louisiana State University’s Agricultural Center also weighed in.
"Unfortunately, few predators feed on the adults because of the repellent qualities of their body fluids," it said, adding that "no control is recommended for lovebugs and likely none is possible because of the highly mobile nature of the adults and availability of abundant larval habitats."
While various countermeasures are under review, experts say eradication is virtually impossible. Chemical pesticides also carry risks of harming other wildlife, leaving local governments with few effective options.
In the meantime, officials are encouraging residents to take basic precautions. Recommended steps include dimming outdoor lights at night, checking window screens, wearing dark-colored clothing when going outside, washing cars frequently to prevent corrosion, setting up sticky traps and using tissues, brooms or water to remove bugs clinging to walls or windows instead of chemical sprays.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
Reference Written by JANG GU-SEUL [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr] Provided by Korea JoongAng Daily
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Lovebugs swarm and cling to tents at a ceremony marking the opening of the Incheon Subway Line 1 extension at Singeomdan Jungang Station in Seo District, Incheon, on June 27, 2025. [YONHAP] 
