Seoul turns to water-spraying drones as lovebug season returns
by Han Jun-guPosted : June 25, 2026, 16:51Updated : June 25, 2026, 16:51
City officials test a water-spraying drone near Mt. Bulamsan in northwestern Seoul on June 25, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Strange insects known as lovebugs have started swarming park pathways and hiking trails, prompting the Seoul Metropolitan Government to deploy water-spraying drones ahead of their expected mass appearance this summer.
City officials on Thursday tested the drones in areas around Mt. Bulamsan in northwestern Seoul on Thursday, where large numbers of lovebugs have been spotted, before deploying them in heavily infested areas.
Complaints have surged in recent years, rising from 4,418 in 2022 to 5,600 in 2023, peaking at 9,296 in 2024, before falling to 5,282 last year. So far this year, some 1,515 complaints have already been filed.
Lovebugs are seen attached in pairs near Mt. Bulamsan in northwestern Seoul on June 25, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
The drones are expected to help reduce the swarms by exposing the insects' wings to water droplets, making it difficult for them to fly.
Lovebugs, which fly around stuck together in pairs as their name suggests, live for less than a week. During that time, however, they lay hundreds of eggs in damp soil, sometimes blanketing pathways and causing discomfort to pedestrians, though they are not known to pose any harm to humans.
Water is being sprayed from a drone near Mt. Bulamsan in northwestern Seoul on June 25, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
Water is being sprayed from a drone near Mt. Bulamsan in northwestern Seoul on June 25, 2026. AJP Han Jun-gu
