The National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), under the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE), held an international symposium on April 16 at Nest Hotel in Incheon, in collaboration with the Korean Society of Environmental Biology. The event, titled “Effective Management Strategies for Mass Occurrences of Insects in Urban Environments,” was organized to bring together experts from Korea and abroad to explore practical solutions.

In recent years, Korea has experienced increasingly frequent mass outbreaks of insects such as the lovebug (Plecia longiforceps) and Ephemera orientalis, largely driven by climate and environmental changes. A notable incident occurred in late June 2025, when a large-scale outbreak of lovebugs on Gyeyangsan Mountain in Incheon led to a surge in public complaints.

The symposium aimed to identify response strategies applicable to Korea by examining international case studies and fostering discussions among experts.

The first session featured presentations from international specialists, including Prof. Norman C. Leppla (University of Florida), Dr. Zhu Li (National Museum of Natural History, China), and Prof. Koji Tojo (Shinshu University, Japan), who will share country-specific trends and management approaches. Korean experts, including researchers Sunjae Park (NIBR) and Donggeon Kim (Sahmyook University), presented current status and response strategies in Korea.

The second session included in-depth discussions on the latest technologies and management approaches for controlling insect outbreaks in urban and residential environments.

Approximately 100 participants from government agencies, academia, local governments, and environmental organizations—such as the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Korean Society of Environmental Biology, Sahmyook University, Korea University, and the Seoul and Incheon metropolitan governments—attended. The symposium will be open to the public without prior registration.

Ho Yu, President of NIBR, stated, “We hope this symposium will provide an opportunity for researchers from different countries to share their experiences and findings, and to develop effective strategies to address the challenges we face. Based on the discussions, we will continue working to implement practical measures to minimize public inconvenience.”