"Can't Even Open the Windows": Residents Suffer as Spider Infestation Hits Apartment Complex

"I have lived here for a while, but I've never experienced anything like this. I can't even open my windows because of the spiders, and since professional pest control isn't working, I feel like I'm constantly fleeing my own home."

This was the scene at an apartment complex near the Deudeul River in Naju, South Jeolla Province, on the afternoon of July 17.

Although the complex is less than 10 years old, the exterior walls of the 800-household complex were so densely covered in spider webs that it looked like an abandoned building.

The situation inside was not much different.

Upon entering the communal entrance on the first floor, live spiders measuring 1 to 2 cm were visible on the ceiling and in corners throughout the area.

Shed skins left behind by the spiders were also easily spotted among the thick, intricate webs.

Park, 50, whom we met that day, said he is suffering so much from the spider infestation that he is considering moving out just two weeks after moving in.

He explained that spiders are being found all over his home, and with webs covering window frames and screens, he has been unable to properly unpack his belongings, let alone open the windows for ventilation.

"Spider webs constantly stick to my face and body inside the house, and I often wake up in shock because a spider is crawling on my face while I sleep," Park said. "After I was bitten by a spider and had to go to the hospital, I'm afraid to even stay in my own home."

Jung, 33, another resident of the same apartment, also appealed, "My three-year-old son kept scratching at spider webs stuck to his face, which even caused wounds. The whole family is under severe stress because of these spiders."

As residents continued to file complaints, the apartment management office hired a private pest control company to carry out extermination work. However, they failed to see any significant results because they could not fundamentally remove the spiders' habitats.

Ultimately, the management office, having determined that it was difficult to afford the high costs of professional pest control every year, concluded its response by distributing repellent sprays to the residents.

The local government, Naju City, is also unable to provide a clear solution.

Under relevant laws, the pests that local governments can spend budget on for extermination are limited to those that can transmit infectious diseases, and spiders are classified as beneficial insects.

An official from Naju City stated on July 18, "It appears that the spiders bothering the residents are coming from the marshland along the Deudeul River, located 20 to 30 meters away from the apartment complex." The official added, "We will periodically mow the grass along the nearby river and waterside park, and strengthen pest control for mosquitoes and moths to break the food chain."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.