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"Bug swarm" redirects here. For the discontinued random event, see Swarm.
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Harpie Bug Swarms are insectoid Slayer monsters that require level 33 Slayer to kill as well as level 33 firemaking to light the Harpie bug lantern. A Lit bug lantern is required to do damage on them.

Players often kill Harpie Bug Swarms as many consider them a good source of Clue scrolls (medium), have relatively low defence, and are also a good source for fire runes and green charms. They are aggressive to players under level 93. If you use the fairy ring you may want to bring some food because there is a level 83 monster that is aggressive along the way. If you are under level 107 combat you will also be attacked by jogres. You will need some agility to cross the log. If you fail you will be damaged.

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 not hit, although if using a poisoned weapon, the poison will affect them and can kill them if given enough time. However, killing them in this way does not count toward a slayer task. A fast-hitting weapon, like a scimitar, helps to get rid of them quickly before they can 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

File:Harpie bug swarm location.png

The location of Harpie bug swarms.

Habitat

They're found east of the Jogre Dungeon. Since Harpie Bug Swarms are located close to the Karamja general store, it is possible to buy food there as well as sell drops. However, if one wishes to use a bank, there is one in the TzHaar City, found beneath Karamja Volcano, and the route is made shorter with the mithril grapple shortcut (53 agility, 42 ranged and 21 strength required) on a peninsula just east of the cliff. If you don't wish to or cannot use that shortcut, you may also bank in Shilo Village after you complete the Shilo Village 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. The bank in Zanaris is also close, if you can use fairy rings (northeast of CKR) , as the bank is just north-west of the main fairy ring in Zanaris.

Players can still be assigned Harpie bug swarms for slayer, even if they do not have the 33 firemaking level required to light an Unlit bug lantern. Players cannot use assistance from other players to light an Unlit bug lantern, therefore 33 firemaking is a necessary requirement to enable players to kill Harpie Bug Swarms

Drops

Armour/Weapons

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Charms

Item Quantity Rarity GE price
Steel full helmSteel full helm1Common1,065
Steel hatchetSteel hatchet1Common3,019
Mithril chainbodyMithril chainbody1Common2,619
Staff of fireStaff of fire1Common1,842
Adamant helmAdamant helm1Uncommon2,691
Black 2h swordBlack 2h sword1Uncommon5,896
Steel bootsSteel boots1Uncommon788
Rune helmRune helm1Rare10,533
Rune javelinRune javelin5Rare905
No charmGold charmGreen charmCrimson charmBlue charm
91–92%2%6%0.5%0.2%
Represents a 90% confidence range based on a sample of 69,035 kills.
1 charm is dropped at a time.
Add data to the log (requires JavaScript).

Runes

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Other

Item Quantity Rarity GE price
Chaos runeChaos rune15–30Common2,280–4,560
Death runeDeath rune3Uncommon696
Fire runeFire rune20; 30; 60; 90Common3,180–14,310

Rare drop table drops

This monster has access to the rare drop table.
Luck-enhancing items such as a ring of wealth or luck of the dwarves are not required to access the table.
Item Quantity Rarity GE price
Coins 1000Coins30; 40; 160; 200; 230; 430; 490; 720; 1,000Common30–1,000
Gold oreGold ore1Common587
CoalCoal1Uncommon112
Jug of wineJug of wine1Uncommon37
Clue scrollClue scroll (medium)1RareNot sold
Spin ticketSpin ticket1RareNot sold
Ancient effigyStarved Ancient Effigy1Very rareNot sold
Loop half of a keyLoop half of a key1Very rareNot sold
Show/hide rare drop table
Item Quantity Rarity GE price
Coins 250Coins250–500Common250–500
Uncut sapphireUncut sapphire1Common809
Uncut emeraldUncut emerald1Common2,555
Uncut rubyUncut ruby1Common1,842
Uncut diamondUncut diamond1Common4,843
Uncut diamondUncut diamond45–55 (noted)Rare217,935–266,365
Loop half of a keyLoop half of a key1Common11,053
Tooth half of a keyTooth half of a key1Common11,538
Uncut dragonstoneUncut dragonstone1Uncommon12,077
Uncut dragonstoneUncut dragonstone45–55 (noted)Rare543,465–664,235
Dragon longswordDragon longsword1Common56,212
Dragon spearDragon spear1Rare35,861
BattlestaffBattlestaff180–220 (noted)Rare542,160–662,640
Rune javelinRune javelin5Rare905
Rune platebodyRune platebody1Uncommon37,480
Rune platebodyRune platebody15–25 (noted)Rare562,200–937,000
Shield left halfShield left half1Rare64,399
Dragon helmDragon helm1Uncommon58,601
Rune arrowheadsRune arrowheads113–137Common14,916–18,084
Onyx boltsOnyx bolts135–165Very rare1,003,725–1,226,775
Chaos talismanChaos talisman1Rare1,923
Nature talismanNature talisman1Rare1,473
Water talismanWater talisman65–82 (noted)Rare164,320–207,296
Earth talismanEarth talisman65–82 (noted)Rare12,025–15,170
Fire talismanFire talisman25–35 (noted)Rare5,225–7,315
Raw lobsterRaw lobster135–165 (noted)Common47,655–58,245
Raw sharkRaw shark225–275 (noted)Uncommon321,075–392,425
Big bonesBig bones68–82 (noted)Uncommon13,804–16,646
Dragon bonesDragon bones180–220 (noted)Rare384,480–469,920
CoalCoal200–1,100 (noted)Uncommon22,400–123,200
Gold oreGold ore90–110 (noted)Common52,830–64,570
Adamantite oreAdamantite ore180–220 (noted)Uncommon40,860–49,940
Adamant barAdamant bar14–16 (noted)Common24,654–28,176
Adamant barAdamant bar135–165 (noted)Rare237,735–290,565
Runite oreRunite ore90–110 (noted)Rare127,710–156,090
Rune barRune bar(noted)Common8,955
Rune barRune bar45–55 (noted)Rare134,325–164,175
Grimy torstolGrimy torstol90–110 (noted)Uncommon485,010–592,790
Grimy snapdragonGrimy snapdragon90–110 (noted)Uncommon161,010–196,790
Super restore (4)Super restore (4)45–55 (noted)Uncommon125,910–153,890
Prayer potion (4)Prayer potion (4)45–55 (noted)Uncommon130,950–160,050
Lantadyme seedLantadyme seed14–16Uncommon10,164–11,616
Dwarf weed seedDwarf weed seed14–16Uncommon11,508–13,152
Magic seedMagic seed4Uncommon209,856
Palm tree seedPalm tree seed10Rare396,000
FlaxFlax450–550 (noted)Common43,200–52,800
Molten glassMolten glass45–55 (noted)Common27,585–33,715
Soft claySoft clay450–550 (noted)Uncommon188,550–230,450
Yew logsYew logs68–82 (noted)Uncommon11,356–13,694
Yew logsYew logs675–825 (noted)Rare112,725–137,775
Teak plankTeak plank45–55 (noted)Uncommon16,740–20,460
Mahogany plankMahogany plank270–330 (noted)Rare356,670–435,930
Blurberry SpecialBlurberry Special1Uncommon12,008
Vecna skullVecna skull1Very rare*124,871
Hazelmere's signet ringHazelmere's signet ring1Very rare*1,432,268,388
Brawling gloves (Melee)Brawling gloves (Melee)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Magic)Brawling gloves (Magic)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Ranged)Brawling gloves (Ranged)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Agility)Brawling gloves (Agility)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Cooking)Brawling gloves (Cooking)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (FM)Brawling gloves (FM)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Fishing)Brawling gloves (Fishing)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Hunter)Brawling gloves (Hunter)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Mining)Brawling gloves (Mining)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Prayer)Brawling gloves (Prayer)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Smithing)Brawling gloves (Smithing)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (Thieving)Brawling gloves (Thieving)1Very rareNot sold
Brawling gloves (WC)Brawling gloves (WC)1Very rareNot sold
Crystal triskelion fragment 1Crystal triskelion fragment 11Very rareNot sold
Crystal triskelion fragment 2Crystal triskelion fragment 21Very rareNot sold
Crystal triskelion fragment 3Crystal triskelion fragment 31Very rareNot sold

Trivia

  • If you look closely, whenever you hit the swarm for damage, a splash of white 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.
  • You can kill the bugs without a lit bug lantern by using poisoned weapons, but it will not count as a kill for slayer or give any drops.
  • The fact that stabbing/slashing attacks do not work well aganist them is probably because while lunging your sword at them, it is unlikely to hit a large number of bugs in that hit. This means that the bugs are probably small, and the bluntness of a crush attack can hit many bugs at once.
  • They will occasionally retreat if their health is low.
  • During the October 25th, 2011 triple slayer experience event, Harpie Bug Swarms didn't give triple slayer experience like all the other tasks did.
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