Lanternfly vs Lyric Cicada

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Lanternfly Lyric Cicada
Scientific Name Pyrops candelaria Neotibicen lyricen
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Fulgoridae Cicadidae
Size 25-30 mm 30-38 mm
Habitat Forests Woodlands
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Asia Eastern and Southeastern United States
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Lanternfly

Striking planthoppers with elongated snouts once believed to be luminous (hence lanternfly). The extended head process function remains debated — possibly for mimicry or balance.

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Did You Know?

Despite the name "lanternfly," these insects do not actually produce light — early naturalists mistakenly believed their elongated snouts glowed in the dark.

Lyric Cicada

A medium-large cicada with a lyre-shaped marking on the dorsal thorax that gives it its name. Its call is a continuous, high-pitched whine heard from mid-summer into early fall.

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Did You Know?

The name 'lyricen' refers to the lyre-shaped pattern on its mesonotum, visible when viewed from above.