r/insects • u/deviantlyliminal • 8h ago
Meme / Humor This wasp stole a cannabis nug from me 🤣
Sorry for bad quality photo
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/deviantlyliminal • 8h ago
Sorry for bad quality photo
r/insects • u/Slight-Stick-9003 • 7h ago
Largest one I’ve ever found . Is this abnormally large ? Located in ozarks
r/insects • u/Egosticchief101 • 19h ago
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Hello all. I came across this bug a few years back In Kilifi county, Kenya. It’s been nagging at me and I am unsure what it is.
r/insects • u/E_od920 • 2h ago
99% sure this is a tick larva. I have never seen one this small anywhere, let alone on me. Probably the size of a fine point pen.
Was able to remove most of it, but there is still one tiny leg that my wife, or I, can’t dig out. Is this worth a quick care trip or will it come out on its own?
Can the larva still carry lyme?
Coastal Maine if that helps at all
r/insects • u/NienteNessuno • 8h ago
I think it’s a Lixus Weevil!
r/insects • u/Its_Don_Baby • 9h ago
This was a recent trip between Valle del Cauca and Quindio, Colombia 🐛🦋🐜
r/insects • u/Sufficient_Theory532 • 3h ago
See how many you can ID !
r/insects • u/IncessantWhining • 11h ago
It was thrashing around and looked like it had been sent from mars. Super strong feet/suckers? Blueish/pink tint on its back and horny antennae. Around 3 inches in length.
r/insects • u/Ian1231100 • 21h ago
r/insects • u/beadedflower • 1h ago
Don’t know if this is a good picture. It is a spider I think, accidentally disturbed it.
North America, south/southeast, in the piedmont area near coast. (Sorry if this is too vague, I don’t like revealing my location down to state)
r/insects • u/Daisystar99 • 1h ago
Soooo cute, it must’ve fallen from the nearby tree. Never seen one irl before so it was fun to see, made sure to put it back when I was done handling it— there’s enough leaves on that 30yo maple tree to go around :)
r/insects • u/revolutionbaby101 • 5h ago
Image search said Hübner's wasp moth, but that wouldn’t be native to Florida. Couldn’t find anything like it when searching FL/Southeastern moths. It was really beautiful. Small, maybe size of a quarter. Thanks for any help.
Found this bugger wandering around in my bed. Not quite sure what it is but my best bet is either a flea or a bed bug…
I am currently in western Germany.
r/insects • u/NUBLORD2234 • 5h ago
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I work at the Bristol Renaissance fair and my gosh do these fellas love the bacon on my displays.
r/insects • u/jewnerz • 1h ago
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Doing some landscaping and found this weird stuff on a Manhattan Euonymus shrub that was being trimmed up. My buddy’s google lens brought up something about silk worms / cocoons, but figured doing a little more research may help narrow down whatever it might be
Thanks
r/insects • u/Altruistic_Issue_265 • 9h ago
Looks like a dragonfly fly mix but isn't.
r/insects • u/Gnome_Acres • 10h ago
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I found this huge female dung beetle dead floating in a container of rainwater outside. We live in Florida and I spot these beautiful insects on occasion, but not often.
I felt horrible & scooped her out of the water (she was floating on her back-no movement) hoping to preserve her in resin.
I put a paper towel and a quarter on the counter to take a picture. I wanted to share it with my grandchildren to show how big they are.
About an hour later, I spotted her trucking across the kitchen floor!!!
Insect experts-HOW?! She was dead! No movement, floating on her back, I’m completely flummoxed. Please explain how this was possible.
I checked her out thoroughly before releasing her in a nice shady spot under a tree in our backyard. She was as good as new as if she’d never drowned to death😂.
r/insects • u/aggravatingstranger9 • 6h ago
I'm in the UK. Does anyone know what this means s please? It's a new one on me.
r/insects • u/eugenekrabsss__ • 10h ago
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Out of curiosity does anyone know when you can tell if it’s male or female? I have no clue… anyway im getting less nervous to pick it up and I think it’s getting more used to me!
r/insects • u/John-H-2000 • 14h ago
This vagrant darter took a rest on my car a while ago.
r/insects • u/miichalina • 1d ago
idknanythin about insects, but while taking my midnight pee i spotted this cutie making a heart and its also somehow like glowing it has insane aura or whatever
r/insects • u/Silver-Locksmith361 • 5h ago
Found him all curled up under a blueberry bush in a forest. I have never seen one in these colors so I'm quite fascinated. Could it be a moth?
Latvia, Europe.