I saw this bug on my david austin this morning? is it a helpful ladybug or a pest?

Spotted lanternfly.

Where are you located? You might need to report your sighting. It's an invasive species.

Im in new jersey. where is this fly originally from?

I've never seen that bug before...really pretty...but as soon as I saw it, I went "uh, oh." :(

Good thing we have knowledgeable people here! :) Good job, Magpie. :)

@rosecanadian I don't know anything lol, I just literally googled "red and black bug with white spots" 😅 No credit due here.

LOL ;) :)

Thanks so much for the info. I've collected a few of them and am going to contact my states Agr Dept. THey actually have a online page to track sightings. Sadly according to the site they havent been reported in my coun ty yet.

They dont normally feed on roses. if you have grape vines, watch out. they also like maples.

I was reading about this bug and it came from around your area Jana. Have you delt with them before?

I found 2 this morning on my rose and a third landed on my balcony table.

Took a video of a rouge lanternfly this morning planning a march toward my rose.

I must admit they are a handsome bug, almost reminds of an exotic sports supercar with its aggressive strut and colours.

Flying Lanternfly

Oh and I saw the first one in its final life form.

David - I agree with you!! That's an impressive strut!! And it goes from a sportscar to a refined lady...so pretty!

I enjoyed learning about this exotic insect. I loved watching it "strut", though it seemed kind of cute and comical to me. I was laughing as I watched it surge ahead. Thanks for the video. Its final costume is quite lovely. So you have not had any rose damage from the lanternfly? Diane

It looks like the native wildlife here in NJ wants to help in eradicating these lanternflys.

Went outside this morning to see one caught up nice and tight in a spiders web.

Such an incredibly beautiful insect!!

I agree. I was sorry to see it caught in the spider's web. So, David, did you find any damage to any of your plants that might be attributed to this insect? Diane

I apologise Diane you had asked me previous as to whether my rose has gotten any damage, and I didn't reply.

Frankly nothing visable I see. Just a healthy, somewhat handsome plant.

This is now my third year with this rose, David Austins Benjamin Britten, and by now it would have lost plenty of foliage from blackspot, this year its looking great no blackspot and consistant blooms. Yet its un-nerving to be picking off lanternflys everytime I go see it. They don't go on the leaves they just grip the canes.

I'm on the 3rd floor, and the flys are coming from the trees on the walking path. Before they could fly, they would get blown by the wind, or jump from the trees; land on the balcony and walk to get on the rose. Now that they can fly I see them fluttering from the trees sometimes landing straight on the rose.

Turns out Diane the spider wasn't dining on asian cuisine afterall yesterday, I looked later in the afternoon and the lanternfly had broken free fom the web.

Thanks, for your answer, David. Benjamin Britten is a beauty, and it's neat that you can grow it on a balcony. I have mixed feelings about the lanternfly. It's an invasive species and is probably doing damage somewhere, but it's so beautiful and cool, almost arrogant when it races along. I can hear is whisper "Look at me. Look at me". Just a little bit of anthropomorphizing. Diane

Diane - yes!! That's exactly how it looks!!! Well said. :) :)

Carol, I almost wish we had Lanternflies. It's certainly nicer looking than our earwigs which love to live in roses here. Diane

Diane - ewwww...you get earwigs? As far as I know we don't get those here. Lanternflies would almost be a fun insect to capture and have it live in a cage with lots of room to walk around in...and have it as an insect pet. :)