Bug of War

🪲💣 The tiny tank taking on Philly’s most hated insect

If it seems like there are fewer spotted lanternflies buzzing around your trees this spring, don’t thank your bug zapper. Thank a local hero in tiny armor: the Spined Soldier Bug.

Already a legend in the pest control world, this voracious consumer has now set its sights on lanternfly nymphs—much to the relief of farmers, gardeners, and tree-lovers across the region. No sprays, no zappers, no fuss—just hardcore, bug-on-bug justice.

Sorry, lanternflies. You had a good run—but nature always catches up. According to new Penn State research, local predators are starting to recognize you as an easy meal.

Out of all the species tested, the spined soldier bug didn’t just hold its own—it dominated. Researchers called it “effective and aggressive,” praising how ruthlessly it took down lanternfly nymphs in lab trials. Coordinated. Relentless. And unlike some of the rarer predators studied, this one’s already widespread across Pennsylvania.

🎯 Meet the Spined Soldier Bug

At first glance, the spined soldier bug might look like any other shield-shaped stink bug. But get closer and you’ll spot the difference: jagged “shoulders” on either side of its thorax, like little body armor points. Adults are usually mottled brown or gray, about a half-inch long, and often found lurking on leaves or garden plants.

Nymphs look different: rounder, darker, and often reddish or orange with black markings. But don’t let their size fool you—they’re just as deadly to pest insects as the grown-ups. Both nymphs and adults use their short, sturdy beak to stab their prey and slurp out the insides, leaving behind a hollow, shriveled husk.

Spined soldier bugs are true generalists: they’ve been recorded preying on more than 100 species of pest insects, including tent caterpillars, corn earworms, cabbage loopers, Mexican bean beetles, and Colorado potato beetles. They’re particularly fond of soft-bodied insects and larvae—exactly the kind of troublemakers that gardeners dread.

🌿 Encourage Them, Don’t Squash Them

Best thing you can do to support spined soldier bugs? Put down the pesticides! Broad-spectrum sprays wipe out the good bugs along with the bad, and that disrupts the natural balance that keeps pests in check.

Instead, aim to create a garden ecosystem that welcomes beneficial insects: skip the chemical sprays, leave a little leaf litter, and mix in flowering herbs or native plants. Soldier bugs don’t move fast, but they hunt methodically. If you spot one scouting through your tomatoes or crouching in your mulch, give it a salute. It’s doing the dirty work so you don’t have to.

🧪 The Science of Backyard Warfare

Penn State’s research highlights the power of biological control—letting nature handle nature. With its ravenous appetite, its taste for lanternflies, and its wide reach across both urban and rural landscapes, the spined soldier bug is proving to be a promising ally against these sap-sucking invaders and their sticky offense. Because pest control doesn’t always come in a spray bottle. Sometimes, it wears a shield and sneaks through your basil like a tiny armored tank.

Godspeed, little warriors! Go forth and feast your fill.

Fun Facts About Spined Soldier Bugs

• Mild manners: Despite their intimidating name and appearance, soldier bugs are harmless to humans and pets.
• Scent control: Like other stink bugs, they can emit a defensive odor—but theirs is milder than their plant-eating cousins.
• Predators: Birds, spiders, and larger insects may feed on soldier bugs, but their tough exteriors and warning odor offer some protection.
• Greenhouse heroes: Because they’re commercially available, some farmers release them in greenhouses to control caterpillars. Their pheromones are also sold to attract them, but they work best in habitats where soldier bugs already live.
• Life cycle: Multiple generations can occur each year. Females lay clusters of barrel-shaped eggs on the undersides of leaves.
• Mass hatching alert! If you see a railing or tree branch swarming with tiny red-and-black dots that look like plump baby ladybugs—it might just be a squad of newborn spined soldier bugs, gearing up for their first mission.

In addition to Spined Soldier Bugs, the Penn State study identified two species of mantis — Carolina and Chinese — for further study as possible lanternfly control. Meanwhile, another contender has emerged from outside the animal kingdom…. 🍄🍄🍄

Spotted lanternflies have a new enemy, and it’s not an insect—it’s fungus!

🧟‍♂️ BUGGED AND SPORED 😵‍💫
Local fungi take out lanternflies—zombie-style

Two native fungus species are infecting lanternflies in Pennsylvania with dramatic results. Batkoa major acts like a “zombie” fungus, hijacking the bugs’ nervous systems and compelling them to climb high before killing them and bursting spores out of their bodies. Spores then rain down to infect more victims.

The other fungus, Beauveria bassiana, is less theatrical but still deadly, coating lanternflies in white fuzz before finishing them off. It’s already used in some commercial biopesticides.

Researchers believe these fungi may help control lanternfly outbreaks—especially since native bugs seem immune. For lanternflies, though? It’s game over. 🍄☠️

Thoughts? Comments? Please leave them below. If you enjoyed this Local wildlife feature, please check out last month’s on Red-Tailed Hawks in Philadelphia.