Longan Lanternfly

Pyrops candelaria (Linnaeus, 1758) belongs to Fulgoridae in Hemiptera. Linnaeus originally described it as Cicada candelaria. [1]

The head process curves upward and narrows toward a laterally compressed tip. Its upper surface is orange to red with pale powdery spots; the underside is yellow-brown. The thorax varies from yellow to red. [1]

Black forewings carry green veins and yellow spots, many bordered in white. The hindwings are yellow over their basal two-thirds and dark brown at the tips. The dorsal abdomen is yellow; the underside is grey with yellow posterior margins to the segments. [1]

Records span southern and southeastern Asia, including China, India, mainland Southeast Asia and Indonesia. The species was first reported on Taiwan’s main island in 2018. The 2021 genetic analysis supported Kinmen as a possible source for the introduced populations. [1][3]

A 2021 survey in northern Taiwan recorded 49 egg masses on 21 plant species and wooden objects. Egg-laying substrates were more varied than the plants carrying substantial numbers of feeding nymphs. [2]

Adults feed on tree sap, with longan, Dimocarpus longan, a principal host. In a 2021 northern Taiwan survey, nearly 80% of 2, 300 recorded nymphs occurred on Chinese tallow, Triadica sebifera; none were found on longan. [2]

The 2021 habitat model predicted suitable conditions across Taiwan’s lowland plains and many longan and pomelo cultivation areas. [3]

The orange-red upper head and absence of a black median stripe on the thorax distinguish this species from Pyrops spinolae in the 2023 identification treatment. [1]

Keep the enclosure closed and display it in indirect light, away from heat and damp conditions. Handle the frame by its edges and clean only its exterior according to the maker’s instructions.