No confirmed photo of Bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets (group)
Bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets (group)
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
New Jersey Bugs and Insects That Sting or Bite
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
On this page
This page lists 7 insects: 2 from NJDEP's NJDEP Invasive Animals and Pests; NJ Poison Control Center Bites and Stings; NJDA Spotted Lanternfly and 5 named in other official sources. 3 are nonnative.
Not every species: no complete official list of New Jersey insects exists, so this page covers the ones state and Extension sources name. How lists are built.
Which insects can hurt you
Official sources single out these insects in New Jersey, in their own words:
-
Bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets
Stings. “Allergic reactions to these insects could be life threatening, and emergency support should be sought IMMEDIATELY.” NJ Poison Control Center (NJPIES), Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
-
Mosquitoes
Disease. “Mosquitoes may carry potentially dangerous illnesses, the two most commonly found in New Jersey are; West Nile Virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.” NJ Poison Control Center (NJPIES), Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
All 7 insects
From A to Z. Do not handle them.
Emerald ash borer
Agrilus planipennis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- About 3/8 to 1/2 inch long and 1/8 inch wide; small enough to fit on a penny
- How to recognize it
- Slender, bullet-shaped body
- Signs on ash trees: S-shaped galleries under the bark and D-shaped exit holes about 1/8 inch across
- Tree symptoms: dead branches near the top, sprouts on the trunk, vertical bark cracks, and woodpecker 'blonding'
Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Conservation
- State Special Concern
No confirmed photo of Mosquitoes (group)
Mosquitoes (group)
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
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Rusty-patched bumble bee
Bombus affinis
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Conservation
- State Endangered (also federally endangered or threatened)
Spongy moth (formerly gypsy moth)
Lymantria dispar
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- Mature caterpillars 1.5 to 2.5 inches long (Missouri: up to 2 inches). Male moths about 1.5-inch wingspread; females larger, about 2 to 2.5 inches.
- How to recognize it
- Older caterpillars have a double row of five pairs of blue spots followed by six pairs of red spots down the back, and tufts of hair on each segment.
- Spongy moth caterpillars do not make silk webs or tents.
- Females are white and cannot fly; males are brown and fly erratically in daytime in July and August.
Spotted lanternfly
Lycorma delicatula
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
- Size
- Adults are roughly 1 inch long and 1/2 inch wide.
- How to recognize it
- Forewings brown or gray with black spots, ending in a speckled band.
- Hind wings scarlet with black spots, plus white and black bars.
- Abdomen yellow with black bars. Legs and head black.
When insects are active in New Jersey
Records of insects in New Jersey peak in June to September. They show when people record insects, not how many there are (about month bars).
If you are bitten or stung
Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Poison Help connects you to your local poison center, any time of day.
Official advice from NJDEP Fish & Wildlife and NJ Poison Control Center (NJPIES), Rutgers New Jersey Medical School:
- Black bears: secure garbage and other attractants; report bear damage or nuisance behavior to 1-877-WARN DEP. NJDEP Fish & Wildlife
- Insect stings: allergic reactions can be life threatening; get emergency help immediately. NJ Poison Control Center (NJPIES), Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
About this list
The species list comes from NJDEP Invasive Animals and Pests; NJ Poison Control Center Bites and Stings; NJDA Spotted Lanternfly (NJDEP, see each source). 5 more entries come from other official sources named on each card.
Venom labels come only from official sources and link to them; "Not stated" never means harmless. How labels work.
"Nonnative" and "Invasive" follow the wording of the source list. See invasive species in New Jersey.
Sources
- New Jersey's Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern Species. NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, ENSP. archived copy, captured August 25, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
- Invasive Animals and Pests. NJDEP. archived copy, captured February 24, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
- Bites and Stings. NJ Poison Control Center (NJPIES), Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (2)
“Allergic reactions to these insects could be life threatening, and emergency support should be sought IMMEDIATELY.”
“Mosquitoes may carry potentially dangerous illnesses, the two most commonly found in New Jersey are; West Nile Virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.”
- Spotted Lanternfly. New Jersey Department of Agriculture. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
- Black Bears in New Jersey. NJDEP Fish & Wildlife. archived copy, captured July 21, 2026; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“Prevent bear encounters by securing garbage and other attractants.”
- GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.