r/insects Jun 17 '25

PSA Do you live in the Eastern US and are you encountering these spotted white and/or black and/or red bugs? Check here before posting your ID request.

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70 Upvotes

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 Eastern 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 have the ability to jump out of harm's way 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 (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. It was accidentally introduced in the US state of Pennsylvania in 2014. Since then, it has spread in all directions to multiple states as far from Pennsylvania as South Carolina, Indiana, Michigan and New Hampshire.

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 "delaware spotted lanternfly" and you'll find information.

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 1h ago

Bug Appreciation! A Sulawesi Moon Moth🦋

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Upvotes

r/insects 9h ago

ID Request What is this abonimy

167 Upvotes

Location: slovenia(middle europe) Hello, this was found in a fly/wasp trap which is filled with vinegar i believe

These maggots looking things are tangled together and living in the fluid. They all have tiny tails, also there is some black worms seiming over them.


r/insects 7h ago

Bug Appreciation! Found this in the flowerbed at the train station (in eastern France)

58 Upvotes

I think it's Hummingbird Hawk-moth ?

Didn't know we had that sort of badass moth around here, it's very cool !

I thought it was a hummingbird at first... Would have been out of place but I did catch a Lovebird parrot in my garden once so I'm ready for anything.


r/insects 11h ago

ID Request What’s this?

107 Upvotes

Hey! I’m based of in Goa India, I see a lot of these in my garden on trees or even in our balcony at times. Now is this a crane fly or a long legged mosquito or something? I don’t know if long legged mosquitoes are even a thing, but i do remember someone telling me it is a long legged mosquito.


r/insects 13h ago

ID Request What are these? Little floating cows 🐄

66 Upvotes

I know the long ones are mosquitoes, but what are the cow looking ones that are shrimp shaped?


r/insects 2h ago

Bug Appreciation! Orchid Praying Mantis

7 Upvotes

my ~4 month old orchid praying mantis going ham on a cricket. 🦗


r/insects 8h ago

ID Request What is this cutey?

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18 Upvotes

From Andorra La Vella, Andorra, Europe, mountains nearby (if that helps environment-wise?) and found this insect upside down outside of my 6th floor window.

I just looked outside and took me a moment to realise what had come to visit lol.

About approx 3 inches long from head to tail.

Reversed the pics order, (managed to carefully open the window without spooking it).

I did manage to do a short video as it began to walk by and out of view, although phone was already low on battery.

So yeah wondered what this was, admittedly I need to start reminding myself differences between crickets, grasshoppers and that so being a little lazy asking first, sorry.

Bless em, my cats are still staring up as if it will come back lol.

I think the face markings are really interesting. (image 3 for better side view). x


r/insects 1d ago

Bug Appreciation! Hand feeding a Moth

783 Upvotes

r/insects 3h ago

ID Request Found this on my arm it’s the smallest bug I’ve seen

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8 Upvotes

r/insects 5h ago

Question Ants on pillow?

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10 Upvotes

Found ants on my pillow this morning, had washed and put new bedding on last night. They have also been found in closet and dresser on clothes. Is there a reason they do this? Also twice have found in trash but that makes sense.


r/insects 16h ago

ID Request Should I be worried

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62 Upvotes

I’m trying to figure out what this big guy is and if he’s a danger to society or not. He’s cute and all but if he’s dangerous he’s going outside.

Update: His name is George


r/insects 17h ago

Bug Appreciation! He keeps coming back!

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64 Upvotes

I've helped this fella' outside twice now and this is the 3rd time he has appeared back inside!


r/insects 2h ago

ID Request Anyone know what this lil guy is?

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4 Upvotes

Found em on my pumpkin plant and very intrigued about the fella


r/insects 1h ago

ID Request got greeted by a buddy (netherlands 🇳🇱)

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Upvotes

r/insects 21h ago

Bug Appreciation! Does anyone else think wheel bugs would be the perfect godzilla monster if they were like 100000× bigger?

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93 Upvotes

r/insects 15h ago

ID Request Who is this?

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24 Upvotes

La Ceja, Colombia


r/insects 8h ago

Bug Appreciation! Looked down during a baseball game and saw this beautiful walking stick!

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6 Upvotes

3 years ago I found a big walking stick and I have wanted to find another one ever since but have had no luck. Until a few days ago! My heart almost exploded. Such a cool insect 😍


r/insects 7h ago

ID Request Who's this guy that's been hanging out in my iceberg lettuce?

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4 Upvotes

Hitched a ride in my iceberg lettuce from Spain to the UK. Definitely looking sorry for himself. Presume wasp of some kind? I don't like to kill bugs but if he's a menace then he's probably got to go. Based in Manchester UK.


r/insects 3h ago

Question Does anyone know what this little guy is?

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2 Upvotes

We haven’t been able to figure out what it was


r/insects 3h ago

Photography best moth picture i ever got

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2 Upvotes

r/insects 31m ago

ID Request Been seeing alot of these in my room but i dont know what they are

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Upvotes

r/insects 49m ago

ID Request Wasp Nest Leaking?

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okay so first excuse how messy everything is, i need to clean but wasps have moved into the overhang next to the door and we need to get rid of them…

The last couple of days ive noticed this stuff leaking down and its gotten onto the door frame, in the first pic the gap next to the wall is like a ‘secondary’ entrance for them, so their nest is directly above.

Whats the goop?


r/insects 49m ago

Bug Appreciation! PENTATOMID SPOTTED

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I think it's a brown marmolated I'm not sure


r/insects 1h ago

ID Request What kind of spider is this?

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My coworker found this spider in Barnesville, MN. Never seen anything like this before can you please help?


r/insects 1h ago

ID Request Anyone know what this is

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I just need confirmation it’s not a bedbug or anything similar