A lycorma delictula white, a type of cicada. The number of the foreign insects has greatly increased in northern Seoul to the irritation of residents. / Courtesy of Naver Open Encyclopedia

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

A new kind of bug continues to irritate people living in the northern Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.

Hills, roads and cars there are covered with insects, and residents have posted pictures of the bugs on the Internet, inquiring as to its name and widespread existence.

The insect is Lycorma Delictula White, a type of cicada. It is suspected of having come from China.

Scarlet in color, the cicada is about 5 centimeters long. They used to inhabit southern China before migrating to Beijing. The Korea Forest Research Institute recognized their existence in Korea for the first time last year, according to Shin Sang-chul, staff member of the institute's Forest Insect, Pests and Disease Division, said.

The insects have been greatly multiplying throughout the summer here.

They have been turning up mainly in Eunpyeong-gu of northern Seoul, Gimpo and Seongnam of Gyeonggi Province and Cheongju of North Chungcheong Province.

The forest agency issued a warning against the insect on July 25.

The cicada feeds on tree sap. ``As trees are the host, they do not attack animals, including humans. However, people fear them because there are so many of them in residential areas and they are kind of creepy,'' Shin said.

There are no natural enemies of the cicadas because they are a new species, so they are breeding freely, according to Shin.

``Natural enemies may exist here. However, it will take time for them to emerge,'' he said.

The institute has recommended some pesticides, however, it is testing to find one that will directly exterminate this specific kind of cicada.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr