Brown locusts are appearing across the Seoul metropolitan area, including apartment complexes and recreation forests in Gyeonggi Province [1, 2].
This surge in visibility is significant because the brown locust is a designated forest pest. These insects can damage crops and spread diseases as they migrate northward into more populated regions [1, 2].
Visitors to local recreation forests have reported encountering the insects in unexpected locations. Ahn Ji-young, a visitor to one such forest, said the insects were so numerous that it was frightening and that some even landed in food [1].
Staff members are also encountering the pests during routine maintenance. Lee Sang-min, a forest employee, said that when pruning branches last week, about five insects would burst out and fly toward him at a time [1].
Observations in public restrooms have shown three or four large insects on fixtures [1]. The pests are particularly disruptive due to their mobility; a brown locust can jump over 50 centimeters [1].
The presence of these insects has caused surprise and inconvenience for those in the Gyeonggi region. Because the locusts are migrating, their appearance in urban apartment complexes indicates a widening area of infestation [1, 2].
“The brown locust is a designated forest pest that can damage crops and spread diseases.”
The northward migration of the brown locust into the Seoul metropolitan area suggests a shift in the pest's habitat range, likely driven by environmental changes. The appearance of a designated forest pest in high-density residential areas and public infrastructure indicates that urban green spaces may be serving as corridors for the insects, potentially increasing the risk of agricultural damage in the surrounding Gyeonggi region.
