Every year from May to June, swarms of Oriental mayflies appear mainly in the Han River basin area, causing inconvenience to residents
Eco-friendly pest control devices 'Haechung Toechigi' operated in parks and riversides, rapid response by pest control task force
Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jung Won-oh) has taken proactive measures, including operating pest control devices, to alleviate residents' discomfort caused by the swarms of "Dongyang mayflies" that become rampant mainly in the upper Han River basin every May and June.
The adult Dongyang mayfly measures 2?3 cm in body length, and its wingspan reaches 4?5 cm when spread. The larvae primarily inhabit rivers or streams with gentle currents and sandy deposits.
Since Dongyang mayflies live in water quality of grade 2 or higher, their appearance can be seen as a natural phenomenon indicating the improvement of the Han River's water quality. However, from May, when the larvae molt and become adults in the water habitats, large swarms appear in urban areas along the Han River basin such as Gangdong-gu, Gwangjin-gu, Seongdong-gu, Gangnam-gu in Seoul, and Yangpyeong, Namyangju, Hanam in Gyeonggi Province, causing significant inconvenience and disgust to residents. The reason for the swarming is that adult mayflies fly in groups every night to reproduce, and the strong lights in urban areas attract these swarms.
In Seongdong-gu, Dongyang mayflies had rarely appeared in recent years but swarmed massively around Seongsu-dong near the Han River last May, and this year, reports from residents about sightings have been received again around the same period.
Dongyang mayflies have degenerated mouths and cannot bite or feed, so they do not transmit infectious diseases caused by viruses or bacteria, but they swarm indiscriminately in urban residential and commercial areas, causing inconvenience to residents' daily lives.
In particular, they cling to buildings and people alike, causing discomfort and disgust, and they also stick to the glass windows of restaurants and shops, sometimes seriously disrupting business operations.
Accordingly, the Seongdong-gu Public Health Center has been operating eco-friendly pest control devices called "pest control machines" that attract and exterminate pests with light in parks and riversides around the Han River since May, and it runs a rapid response team to promptly address reports of Dongyang mayfly sightings.
Additionally, they have produced and distributed informational leaflets to guide residents on how to deal with Dongyang mayflies. Since these mayflies are highly attracted to bright urban lights, reducing facility lighting or replacing white lights with yellow lights is effective. Also, to block their entry from outside to indoors, residents are advised to carefully check insect screens and doors, and if mayflies stick to building exteriors or windows, they can be easily removed by dusters or by spraying water with a sprayer or hose.
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, "We are making every effort, including operating pest control machines and rapid response teams, to minimize residents' discomfort caused by Dongyang mayfly swarms," and added, "We will continue to pay close attention so that all residents can enjoy a healthy and pleasant daily life."
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