Arctic Seed Bug vs Spotted Lanternfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Arctic Seed Bug Spotted Lanternfly
Scientific Name Nysius groenlandicus Lycorma delicatula
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Lygaeidae Fulgoridae
Size 3-5 mm 25 mm
Habitat Tundra & Arctic Forests
Diet Seed Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Greenland, Arctic Canada, Iceland, Svalbard Asia, North America (invasive)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Arctic Seed Bug

A small, elongate grayish-brown seed bug with a narrow body and prominent eyes. It feeds on seeds and plant sap in Arctic tundra. Adults can tolerate freezing temperatures and are active throughout the short summer.

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Did You Know?

This is one of the very few true bugs found in Greenland, where it survives on seeds of the limited Arctic flora.

Spotted Lanternfly

A colorful invasive planthopper from China threatening vineyards, orchards, and hardwood forests in North America. Adults have striking red hindwings revealed in flight.

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Did You Know?

Spotted lanternflies are such a threat that multiple US states have quarantine zones — citizens are legally instructed to kill any lanternfly they see on sight.