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common
Spotted Lanternfly
Lycorma delicatula
- Habitat
- Asian forests on tree-of-heaven; now invasive across Korea, Japan and the eastern USA
- Body length
- 25 mm
- Order
- Hemiptera · Fulgoridae
Weird but real
Drab grey at rest, it flashes scarlet underwings when it leaps and weeps honeydew that ferments to a wasp-luring vinegar.
Why it's cool
A planthopper in two costumes: tweed jacket folded shut, blood-red petticoat mid-jump. Beautiful, and a quarantine nightmare.
