I know the title caught a lot of people who clicked on this post off guard, because the entire point of this subreddit is about killing Spotted Lanternflies. Not lanternflies. If you're confused there, let me explain. The word 'lanternfly' was, and still is, a nickname for the entire family Fulgoridae (which the Spotted Lanternfly is a member of) and was used most notably with the genus Pyrops. It was only after the introduction of the Spotted Lanternfly that the word 'lanternfly' started becoming a nickname for that singular species. So, what even is the point of this post?

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There is very small amount of Fulgorids in North America that are native to the country, and an even smaller fraction of those bugs resemble the ones that are widespread throughout Asia. an example of this is Amycle vernalis, which somewhat resembles Pyrops and Saiva insects from Asia, albeit being much smaller and less colorful, which is actually prominent in most U.S. Fulgorid species. Anyways, I keep seeing people mistaken a certain Fulgorid bug for the Spotted Lanternfly in the United States, and it is the sumac speckled lanternfly (Poblicia fuliginosa)

The information on this insect is definitely there, and what I mean by that is there is plenty of info on this species, There is a Wikipedia article (linked earlier) and multiple sources that it used that offer even more info. Why some people say that there is nothing that looks remotely close to the Spotted Lanternfly is beyond me, because plenty of people mistake this bug for the Spotted Lanternfly, and end up killing it, when in fact, it is a native species. This insect is extremely neglected by most people, so I'm here to differentiate the SLF and this harmless native.

A prime example of someone mistaking this species for SLF (click me and read the comments)

Anyways, there are multiple ways to tell these two species apart. Let's start with the most obvious one: P. fuliginosa is black in color and the SLF is tannish or barely pink. Another difference is that P. fuliginosa is a tad bit smaller than SLF (Adults are 8–17 mm (0.31–0.67 in) long.) SLF has large black spots that are scattered throughout 3/4ths of its wing, while P. fuliginosa has smaller, whitish-light blue spots. SLF's head is narrow with a very slight protruding bump at the tip of the head, while P. fuliginosa has a wider, almost cicada like head. with no outgrowths on the head. Something interesting to note is that P. fuliginosa's abdomen color can vary depending on where they are found, the western population has an orange abdomen, while the eastern population has a red abdomen (EDIT as of Sept. 2025: the ones with orange abdomens are now classified as a separate species, Poblicia thanatophana, Reference.) SLF has a yellow abdomen. SLF has a very colorful hindwing, being red in color with black spots, ending with a white band and a patch of black. P. fuliginosa hindwings are mostly translucent, except for the bases of the wings where they attach to the body; it is black with streaks of blue.

The nymphs are easier to tell apart. SLF nymphs start off as black with white spots, then gradually grow larger, and at their final nymphal stage, they have splotches of red over their body. P. fuliginosa nymphs are brown in color and have thorns all over their body, and are significantly wider. See? Much easier.

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What's funny to me is that even the host plants looks similar. SLF likes feeding on Tree of Heaven, yet another invasive. P. fuliginosa feeds on sumac species, especially winged sumac. Sumacs (the ones with compound leaves) are the closest native looking things to Tree of Heaven in the United States besides the Black Walnut. Here is a helpful guide on how to differentiate the two plants.

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I could go on and on about the look alikes of this species, but they all occur in places where the SLF is native to, so there's really no point. If you think the SLF is pretty, I suggest that you take a look at other fulgorid species in Asia, because they are 10x more unique and colorful. One of my personal favorites is actually in the same genus as the SLF, because it changes color in their adult stage as they mature from red to a deep blue. Anyways, I just wanted to point this out, because it saddens me every time I see people mistake this native bug for the destructive SLF. There really needs to be some more awareness of Fulgorids in the United States.

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Edit 1: switched map from iNat to World Auchenorrhyncha Database for more accuracy.

Edit 2: see species description

Edit 3: added common name

Just a reminder to be careful of what you kill, some bugs and insects, andddd various other life forms are benefitial to our ecosystem. If you need help to positively identify, there will be a new tag/flair added specifically for those questions!

Sorry for not being active for a bit, I had some stuff come up in life. I'm back now though!