Lantern fly

Lantern Fly
Image gallery
Real-world info
Name: Fulgora laternaria Family: Fulgoridae - Lantern Flies
Main appearances
DnM DnM+ AC DnMe+ iQue WW CF NL NH
Other appearances
Film HHD aF PC
Names in other languages  ビワハゴロモキ  N/A  laternaria  machaca  lanternaria  Фонарница  뿔매미  N/A  laternaria  machaca  Laternenträger  Lantaarndrager

The Lantern Fly is a bug in the Animal Crossing series introduced in Animal Crossing: Wild World. It is found on trees between June and September at two different times of the evening, between 4 PM and 7 PM then again from 11 PM to 8 AM. It is uncommon and can be found in the rain as well as on clear evenings.

Catch details

In Wild World

#21

"I caught a lantern fly! You light up my life!"

Description	Their heads look exactly like an alligator's. They look like moths, but are actually cicadas.
Time of year	Unknown
Time of day	Jul – Sep: 4 PM – 7 PM, 11 PM – 8 AM
Peak times
Location	On trees
Bug size	Unknown
Selling price	1,800 Bells
Furniture size

In City Folk

#22

"I caught a lantern fly! But... where do I put the kerosene?"

Description	With alligator-like heads and mothlike wings, these are actually cicadas.
Time of year	Jun – Sep
Time of day	Jun; Sep: 4 PM – 7 PM & 11 PM – 8 AM Jul – Aug: 4 PM – 8 AM
Peak times	N/A
Location	On trees (hardwood and cedar)
Bug size	Unknown
Rarity	Rare
Selling price	1,800 Bells
Furniture size

In New Leaf

#25

"I caught a lantern fly! Hmm. Must have run out of gas."

Time of year	Jun – Sep All year (Tortimer Island)
Time of day	Jun; Sep: 4 PM – 7 PM & 11 PM – 8 AM Jul – Aug: 4 PM – 8 AM Tortimer Island: 4 PM – 8 AM
Peak times	N/A
Location	On trees (hardwood and cedar) (can be found on Tortimer Island)
Size	Unknown
Rarity	Rare
Selling price	1,800 Bells
Furniture size

Donating to the museum

As with all insects in the Animal Crossing series, the Lantern Fly can be donated to the museum by talking to Blathers, who will give a small talk about it.

In Wild World

"The lantern fly drinks the sap of the lychee, whose fluids are said to be sweet. ...The question is, who first sampled the lychee, anyhoo? It looks repellant! It took a gourmand braver than I, I assure you!"

In City Folk

"It's said that a diet of sap from the lychee tree makes the bodily fluids of the lantern fly sweet. It's also said the proper way to try them is to break off the tips of the horns and sip them like straws... It's ALSO said that anyone who does those things is officially googly-boogly out of his or her mind."

The Lantern Fly can be found in the top-most level of the insect section of the museum, perched on the right-most cedar tree, next to the sign.

In New Leaf

The Lantern Fly resting on a tree in the museum in Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Upon being donated, the Lantern Fly can be found in the room of the bug exhibit with the light in, resting on a tree near the light. The exhibit has this to say about the Lantern Fly:

"Lantern flies stay on trees to drink tree sap, which is where you'll most commonly find them. Their heads are shaped like alligators, though this is just an odd coincidence. Their wings have patterns that look like eyes so when they're open they can scare off predators. They don't really cry that much, but they are still related to cicadas to some extent."

Gallery

For more images, view this subject's gallery.

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  Animal Crossing: Wild World

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  Animal Crossing: Wild World

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  Animal Crossing: City Folk

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  Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Real-world information

Fulgora laternaria (also known as Lantern Fly, Alligator Bug, Peanut Bug, etc.) is related to cicadas. It gets the name 'lantern fly' and 'alligator bug' from its oddly shaped and colored head. Its head is shaped like a serpent or lizard, similar to an alligator's head, which is mentioned in the description in the Bugs and Fish tab. The name 'lantern fly' however, comes from the mistaken belief, first by Carl Linnaeus, that they are luminescent. It protects itself by opening its wings, which reveals fake eyes. Its head may also further protect itself, by scaring potential predators. In the Animal Crossing series, it displays its wings when the player gets close to it.

Names in other languages

	Laternenträger	Lantern Fly, lit. Lantern Carrier
	Lanternaria	Part of latin name
	Lanternaria	From Lanterna, lantern.