Seoul to Step Up Patrols Due to Mass Collection of Cicada Larvae in a Park
Seoul authorities plan to step up patrols in Yoido Seotgan Ecological Park following complaints about the mass collection of cicada nymphs. The park is a green space along a narrow body of water on the southern outskirts of the Yoido district, according to the Korea Herald.
According to city officials, people were collecting the nymphs from the park before the insects had a chance to climb trees and molt. In the summer, cicada nymphs emerge from the ground and climb trees to molt.
The city has posted banners in the park warning people not to collect cicada nymphs, earthworms, or other wildlife. The warnings are written in Korean and Chinese. Posts from eyewitnesses circulated on social media about groups of people who, after dark, walked through the park with large containers and, according to the witnesses, collected the nymphs.
The consumption of cicadas and their larvae is part of the culinary culture in certain regions of China and Southeast Asia, although large-scale harvesting of these insects for food is rare in South Korea. Last year, similar reports came from an ecological park in Busan.
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Ads offering cicada exoskeletons for sale also appeared on Karrot, a local marketplace for used goods. Specifically, on Tuesday, 100 such exoskeletons were offered for 3,000 won, or about $2.10.
Cicadas are not classified as a protected species in South Korea under laws regarding natural monuments or endangered animals. At the same time, Seoul’s regulations on the protection and use of parks along the Han River provide for a fine of up to 100,000 won for collecting insects or plants without permission.
City officials stated that uncontrolled insect collection could disrupt the park’s ecosystem, which is home to various plant and animal species and hosts nature observation programs for children. Patrols are tasked with preventing the unauthorized collection of cicadas and other insects, and people who fail to heed warnings may be fined.
