Harpie Bug Swarm

Harpie Bug Swarms are Slayer monsters that require level 33 Slayer to kill. A Lit bug lantern is required to do damage on them.

Players often kill them because they have a good chance to drop level 2 clue scrolls, and have relatively low defence, they are also a good source for fire runes. They are aggressive to players under level 92.

Strengths and weaknesses
Harpie Bug Swarms use rapid melee attacks and do quite a bit of damage for their combat level. If a lit bug lantern is not equipped any attacks on them will be ineffective. A fast-hitting weapon, like a scimitar, helps to get rid of them quickly before they do too much damage.

Alternatively, players can mage or range Harpie Bug Swarms from the Eastern side of the stream at the eastern end of their habitat, to avoid taking any damage from them, although this does mean expenditure in terms of runes or ammo for ranged weapons. Note: Ava's device, a reward from Animal Magnetism quest, does not work across the stream to retrieve bolts.

Another place to mage or range them is north of the brown ridge. They will not come too far in between the sea and ridge.

Although not in a multi-combat area, a Cannon can be used to take down the swarms in one hit fairly often.

Another viable strategy, for those that have finished the Tai Bwo Wannai Trio quest, is to use Protect from Melee prayer, and refilling prayer points at the Tribal statue in the village, a short run away. In this case, prayer boosting armour is recommended to increase fighting time.

It seems that lunge/stab attacks are not very effective but will deal great damage on the Harpie Bug Swarms.

Location

 * Karamja

Other
Since they are close to the Karamja general store, it is possible to restock on food there as well as sell drops. This way banking off the island is unnecessary. However, if one wishes to bank, there is a bank in the TzHaar City, found beneath Karamja Volcano, and the route is made shorter with the mithril grapple shortcut, or you may also bank in Shilo Village after the quest. Also, Rionasta in Tai Bwo Wannai Village can send items to the bank for 10 trading sticks per item, although he cannot take items out of the bank.

Weapons and armour

 * Steel hatchet (very common)
 * Staff of fire (common)
 * Rune javelin (5) (rare)
 * Rune spear (rare)
 * Dragon spear (rare)
 * Steel full helm (common)
 * Adamant med helm (rare)
 * Mithril chainbody (common)
 * Steel boots(common)

Runes

 * Fire runes (30, 60, 90) (extremely common)
 * Chaos runes (15, 30)
 * Death runes (3) (uncommon)

Uncut gems

 * Sapphire (common)
 * Emerald (uncommon)
 * Ruby (uncommon)
 * Diamond (rare)

Other

 * Nothing
 * 30, 40, 160, 200, 230, 490, 1000 coins (very common)
 * Gold ore (very common)
 * Coal
 * Jug of wine
 * Level 2 Clue Scroll
 * Half of a key (rare)
 * Nature talisman (rare)
 * Shield left half (very rare)

Trivia

 * If you look closely, whenever you hit the swarm for damage, a splash of green liquid will appear at the bottom of the swarm. This may be blood or dead bugs.
 * These bugs slightly resemble a Bloated Leech, though shrunken and a different colour.