What kind of bug is this - Ask Extension
Hi, I have a bug on my maple tree that I can't identify- when immature they are black with white spots and look "spider" like. When mature t...
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What kind of bug is this #874588
Asked June 25, 2024, 10:09 AM EDT
Hi, I have a bug on my maple tree that I can't identify- when immature they are black with white spots and look "spider" like. When mature their backs turn red, again with the white spots. They don't move much, have been on the same branch for weeks and do not appear to be harming the tree.
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello and thank you for your question. The bugs in your photo are the nymphs (immature or juvenile) life stage of spotted lanternfly, an invasive pest from Asia. All Maryland residents are encouraged to report sightings to the Maryland Department of Agriculture through this online form.
If you have any further questions regarding this pest after reading the link, please feel free to ask!
If you have any further questions regarding this pest after reading the link, please feel free to ask!
Thank you for your response. I will complete the form to properly notify you of this sighting. Now, are these bugs harmful to maple trees and if so, how do I get rid of them? Are they harmful to dogs?
Thank you.
Therese
Hello Therese,
As mentioned in the Spotted Lanternfly web page that Katie linked to, these insects fortunately do not cause serious harm to maples or other garden plants. (When they were new to the U.S. several years ago, scientists were less sure about the threat they posed to forest trees and ecosystems. We not know that they are not very damaging, at least outside of commercial vineyard settings.)
We do not encourage the use of any insecticide to spray them, nor would doing so remove most of the population from a given area anyway, since they will be largely out of reach. Plus, no insecticide is specific to lanternfly; all pose some risk of harming other insects, though some ingredients are more high-risk than others. There are chemical-free trapping methods, linked in the page mentioned, but they might not work reliably, given that again, most will be well out of reach.
The lanternflies aren't mature when red with black spots, though that is the next-to-final life stage. The adults are winged, with the only red visible on their hind wings when they are held open and not hidden by the forewings. Otherwise, they are a sort of pale gray clay color with black spots.
They are probably not harmful to pets if eaten, though they probably taste pretty bad, which is the reason they are so contrastingly colored. You would need to verify their risk or safety with a vet, however, since we do not have medical training.
Miri
As mentioned in the Spotted Lanternfly web page that Katie linked to, these insects fortunately do not cause serious harm to maples or other garden plants. (When they were new to the U.S. several years ago, scientists were less sure about the threat they posed to forest trees and ecosystems. We not know that they are not very damaging, at least outside of commercial vineyard settings.)
We do not encourage the use of any insecticide to spray them, nor would doing so remove most of the population from a given area anyway, since they will be largely out of reach. Plus, no insecticide is specific to lanternfly; all pose some risk of harming other insects, though some ingredients are more high-risk than others. There are chemical-free trapping methods, linked in the page mentioned, but they might not work reliably, given that again, most will be well out of reach.
The lanternflies aren't mature when red with black spots, though that is the next-to-final life stage. The adults are winged, with the only red visible on their hind wings when they are held open and not hidden by the forewings. Otherwise, they are a sort of pale gray clay color with black spots.
They are probably not harmful to pets if eaten, though they probably taste pretty bad, which is the reason they are so contrastingly colored. You would need to verify their risk or safety with a vet, however, since we do not have medical training.
Miri
