Seoul is covered in hordes of flies, and the metro is to blame (5 photos + 1 video)
Huge swarms of March flies have swarmed Seoul, much to the disappointment and disgust of city residents. Because this type of fly sticks together tightly during mating, looking like an insect with a head on each end, it looks even more creepy and surreal. 
This happened in previous years, but then two-headed flies only infested the north of Seoul. This is a common insect species in Asia, cutely called the Love Bug or Lovebirds. This is because couples stay together for several days during and after mating.
But this year, lovebugs have spread from the Inpyeong area throughout Suel. Over the course of a month and a half, thousands of complaints were filed about insects in the subway, transport, and public places. 
Flies are nasty because they have nasty legs!
Then they entered the apartments, scaring people. They are not dangerous to humans, but they frighten young people with their strange appearance. In addition, they are very tenacious, they stick to clothes and furniture.
Since 2021, every year the number of complaints about these lovebirds has increased by about a quarter.
To combat them systematically, back in 2020, they tried to spray pesticides on Mount Bonsan, where lovebirds breed. But this was considered the destruction of the species. 
This is what our soldiers do. I never liked this style of theirs as a child.
That’s why we switched to sticky tapes and traps. They are wrapped around trees along all the Bonsana mountain hiking trails. However, such traps catch not only lovebirds, but also other insects, including ladybugs.
As far as can be seen, this technique did not work.
Love bugs are spreading more and more every year because they don't necessarily need a mountain and forests to leave offspring. Every year they lay larvae in different areas of the city, continuing their expansion inland.
Seoul subway transports flies to their new breeding grounds
And the metro helps a lot with this, as it transports couples all over Seoul every summer!
Why weren't they there before?
Because the climate is changing. Flies live in hot and humid climates. And this year the heat came much earlier than usual, which caused hordes of flies to hatch ahead of schedule.
The lovebirds were first spotted on June 2 this year, 13 days earlier than last year. The Seoul Institute is currently researching insect genetics to explain the sudden surge.
This is what sidewalks look like in some areas
An interesting situation in Seoul, a bit like stories about the end of the world. Although flies are, of course, harmless. It's just unpleasant.
