Dayflies Swarm in Seoul City, Causing Inconvenience to Citizens
A large swarm of mayflies, measuring 4 to 5 cm when their wings are spread, gathers in various parts of Seoul every night, causing significant inconvenience to citizens.
In particular, during the KT Wiz and LG Twins game held at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the afternoon of the 18th, thousands of mayflies swarmed the stadium, causing great discomfort to the spectators.
On the 18th, Asian mayflies appeared at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, where the game between KT Wiz and LG Twins took place. [Photo by Twitter]
The swarm of mayflies that appeared at the stadium that day was even visible on the broadcast footage. Dozens of mayflies were seen flying around the players and throughout the stadium while the pitcher threw the ball and the batter swung the bat.
A Twitter user shared a video of the situation at the stadium, commenting, "Jamsil today is really, really serious... These are all mayflies, and hundreds of them are falling down into the stands."
The identity of these insects is the Dongyang mayfly. They have been spotted not only at the baseball stadium but also recently in various parts of Seoul, including areas near the Han River. They are mainly observed in Seoul districts bordering the Han River such as Gangdong, Gwangjin, Songpa, and Seongdong, as well as in Gyeonggi areas like Yangpyeong, Namyangju, and Hanam.
Dongyang mayflies are primarily active from May to June and naturally die within 4 to 5 days. They are not known to be harmful to humans. However, due to their attraction to bright lights, they tend to swarm around light sources, causing discomfort. Their wingspan of about 5 cm is relatively large, which also contributes to the inconvenience in daily life.
However, it is difficult to spray insecticides to control Dongyang mayflies. The Han River basin, where their larvae live, is a water source protection area, making insecticide spraying impossible. The only options are to disinfect grassy areas or operate pest control devices.
Experts recommend minimizing the use of bright lighting after 8 p.m. during the active period of Dongyang mayflies.
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