No photo - what is this bug - Ask Extension
Hi, I am so sorry for this question. My kids and I saw 40 spotted lantern fly larvae on our blackberries (first sighting here) and freaked out a bit. ...
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No photo - what is this bug #873288
Asked June 15, 2024, 11:34 PM EDT
Hi, I am so sorry for this question. My kids and I saw 40 spotted lantern fly larvae on our blackberries (first sighting here) and freaked out a bit. Then we saw a 2" brown bug with a proboscis ventral and parallel to its head, long tucked in wings, and what looked like a red body under the wings. Our chickens did not like the taste. It's dead now, but I found the form to report sightings of lantern flies, with the photos, and this adult bug is not a lantern fly. Any guesses what it was so I can tell my kids we can leave it if we see another?
Frederick County Maryland
Expert Response
It's unfortunately hard to guess without a photo. Given the type of mouthparts described, it sounds like a true bug, and might have been a stink bug (some feed on plants, some prey on other insects) or a leaf-footed bug (plant-feeding). That said, we would not expect many to be 2 inches long, even when full grown, and not all species have matured yet for the season. (One inch or shorter is typical. Plus, even if it were a Spotted Lanternfly, the adults are not that large.) There are over one thousand species of true bugs in Maryland, and while we could narrow that number down a bit since we know this wasn't a type of aphid, for example, it's still a large pool of candidates. If you see another, feel free to send pictures and we'll try to ID it.
Miri
Miri
OK, thank you so much!
You're welcome.
