Metallic Bugs With Wings: 4 Types
These are the 4 most common metallic bugs with wings found in North America.
How to narrow it down
Narrow it down with three quick checks. Count the legs: insects have six, spiders and ticks have eight, and centipedes and millipedes have many more. Check for wings, even folded ones. Then compare size against a coin: a US penny is 19 mm across. Our bug identifier tool does this filtering for you.
The 4 bugs
Blow Fly
Blow FlyLucilia sericataA shiny, metallic green or blue fly that lays eggs on dead animals, meat and garbage. A sudden swarm indoors often signals a dead mouse or bird in a wall or attic.
Tell-tale sign: Metallic green, blue or bronze body. Risk: Blow flies don't bite but can carry bacteria from rotting material.
Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald Ash BorerAgrilus planipennisA slim, bullet-shaped, metallic green beetle whose larvae tunnel beneath ash tree bark. It has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America.
Tell-tale sign: Bright metallic emerald green body. Risk: Emerald ash borers are harmless to people but lethal to untreated ash trees.
Japanese Beetle
Japanese BeetlePopillia japonicaA metallic green beetle with copper-brown wing covers that skeletonizes the leaves of roses, grapes, linden and hundreds of other plants. Its white grubs feed on grass roots in lawns.
Tell-tale sign: Metallic green head and thorax with coppery wing covers. Risk: Japanese beetles do not bite or sting people; the harm is to plants and turf.
Ground Beetle
Ground BeetleCarabidae familyA fast-running, shiny black beetle that hunts slugs, caterpillars and other insects at night. Ground beetles often wander into basements and garages from nearby mulch and leaf litter.
Tell-tale sign: Shiny black body, often with a metallic sheen. Risk: Ground beetles rarely bite and are beneficial predators; a few release a harmless, bad-smelling spray.
Which ones should you worry about?
0 of the 4 bugs in this guide can bite or sting. None of them are considered medically significant. The rest are harmless or simply a nuisance.
Comparison at a glance
| Blow Fly | Emerald Ash Borer | Japanese Beetle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Flies & Mosquitoes | Beetles | Beetles |
| Scientific name | Lucilia sericata | Agrilus planipennis | Popillia japonica |
| Size | 8–12 mm | 8–14 mm | 10–15 mm |
| Colors | Green, Blue and Metallic | Green and Metallic | Green, Metallic and Brown |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bites or stings | No | No | No |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Metallic green, blue or bronze body | Bright metallic emerald green body | Metallic green head and thorax with coppery wing covers |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common one?
Among the bugs in this guide, the blow fly and emerald ash borer are the ones people ask about most.
Which of these are dangerous?
None of them are medically significant, though some can bite or sting.
How can I identify a bug I found?
Use the free bug identifier tool: choose the number of legs, wings, main color, size and where you found it, and it will list the closest matches.