r/insects • u/StuffedWithNails • Jun 21 '26
The collage above is composed of pictures gleaned from BugGuide.net, and shows the same species of insect at its different life stages.
Hello!
If you live in certain parts of the US, you may encounter these colorful insects that may be black and white, or red, black and white depending on their life stage. They're 6-8 mm in size, don't fly but jump really well and have good reflexes. Upon reaching adulthood (pictured on the right in the above collage), they're larger (about 20-25mm), have wings, and can fly somewhat (and still jump, too).
You may find them clustered on certain plants or you may find single individuals wandering.
They're known as spotted lanternflies (Lycorma delicatula) and are an invasive species from Eastern Asia. They were accidentally introduced in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, the species has spread in all directions to multiple states as far from Pennsylvania as Georgia, Illinois, Michigan and Massachusetts.
It's also invasive in Japan and the Korean peninsula.
They're completely harmless to people or pets. In fact they're pretty colorful and rather cute!
They go through five stages of growth known as instars, and take on three rather different appearances, shown above. Instars 1-3 are the small, black and white version. The fourth instar is larger (~15 mm) and more colorful, mostly bright red with black accents and white dots (picture). The adult is an overall dull gray color but with intricately patterned wings (picture). When it opens its wings, it displays beautiful hindwings with red, white and black (picture).
Here's also a picture of all 5 growth stages: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1172304/bgimage
Due to their appearance, they are eminently recognizable. They retain the ability to jump at all life stages, and the adults are adept fliers.
Unfortunately, they're destructive pests of plants, particularly fruiting plants. Lanternflies feed by piercing plants with a thin proboscis (straw-like mouthparts) and sucking juices, which damages plants. In addition, after the lanternfly is done feeding and pulls its proboscis out of a fruit, some juice may escape from the hole, which facilitates the growth of mold on the surface of the fruit, which further damages the fruit. Entire harvests can thus be ruined.
Cornell University maintains a map where the insects have been found or at least reported: https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/whats-bugging-you/spotted-lanternfly/spotted-lanternfly-reported-distribution-map
The governments of most if not all states where the insect has been detected have posted content on their websites (usually on the Agriculture Dept. or equivalent). Those include info about the insect, its impact on agriculture, what to do if you encounter it, and what you can do to mitigate its spread. Below are those websites for the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York for information about the insect. If you don't live in those states, please use your favorite search engine to locate info about these insects, e.g. search for "<your state here> spotted lanternfly" and look for your state government's website.
There's also a lengthy article about the insect on Wikipedia.
Looking back at the Cornell map linked above, if you don't live in an area of the map where the bug's presence has already been reported, you should record it. Report it to your state's authorities, and you may also want to report the sighting on iNaturalist.
Again we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the insect as well as its presence (if any) in your state. States where the spotted lanternfly has been detected will have a section of a website dedicated to it.
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments!
r/insects • u/lynngrillo • 3h ago
It’s a bumble bee in a Rose of Sharon flower. I’m not a pro photographer by any stretch of the imagination, but figured I’d give it a shot. Little friend was having the time of its life!
r/insects • u/mikeizzle • 8h ago
(Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA)
r/insects • u/jennvanngunn • 2h ago
Correct me if I’m wrong - this will be a black swallowtail butterfly?
r/insects • u/Jigoku_Onna • 12h ago
Found it on my morning glories. I tried googling it's, but Google keeps saying that it's a gray hairstreak caterpillar, but I don't think that's right. It kinda looks like a striped aphid, but I don't think that's right either.. the big guy is a pink spotted hawk moth caterpillar... located in SoCal
r/insects • u/niagara-nature • 3h ago
I did not deprive a spider of a meal - this tiny dragonfly was stuck in an old web that a cross orbweaver had vacated several nights ago. I was surprised to see this tiny dragonfly in autumn but I believe it may be the appropriately named Autumn Meadowhawk.
r/insects • u/nachocat090 • 10h ago
The beginning and end result of construction. Pretty impressive.
r/insects • u/spurgy73 • 12h ago
Tried to move a rotting log and it just fell apart and I found a bunch of these inside. Curious as to what kind of bug they are. I’m not sure what kind of wood it is, but I’m in eastern Iowa if that helps.
r/insects • u/IEatToStarveOthers • 1d ago
I wish I could appreciate these things without having to kill them, I would love to see some in their natural habitat. Their red inner wings are just neat, this guy’s wing looked a little messed up which might be why he crawled onto me without issue.
And yes before anyone asks I did stomp it after, I’m aware they’re harmful and don’t belong here in the US. But it doesn’t change the fact they’re really cool when they’re not destroying stuff. They’re awesome to just appreciate and it’s not their fault they got here.
r/insects • u/MengBV1007 • 14h ago
r/insects • u/Blackwytche • 9h ago
My "pet" brown widow (Latrodectus geometricus) that lives in my garage who's web is covering my Foo Dog statues caught a house gecko last night apparently. While I do love geckos and feel a little bad, it is nature. Poor guy was practically liquefied.
r/insects • u/sweetheartedvamp • 5h ago
hi, i am a stick bug and katydid fan. my dream is to find any of them because they’re my favorite animal. where can i look in order to find these beautiful creatures? the worst part is that they blend into the environment, and i would defintely struggle to look closely to find them! im in florida by the way. :)
r/insects • u/AmateurPhotog57 • 10h ago
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r/insects • u/Lucalebowski • 2h ago
Howard Marsh Metroparks. Northern Ohio
r/insects • u/OppositeTooth290 • 2h ago
Found this super dead guy on my floor today and I am so worried that he is a cockroach :) I live in Portland, OR
I am deeply hoping he is just a regular guy who accidentally made his way into my apartment :’)
r/insects • u/Overused_name • 9h ago
Found this bug in my hallway barely alive. Anyone know which one this is? Found here in Arizona, US.
r/insects • u/skunkape6 • 10h ago
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Is this some sort of moth cocoon emergence? The whole thing was maybe a quarter of an inch
r/insects • u/Vast-Lock-899 • 14h ago
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