Harpie Bug Swarm

"Bug swarm" redirects here. For the discontinued random event, see Swarm (insects).

For the elite version, see Harpie Bug Swarm (elite).

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Harpie Bug Swarm
Release																				30 January 2006 (Update)
Members																				Yes
Options																				Attack, Examine
Race																				Harpie bug
Examine																				A swarm of bugs.
Combat info
Combat level																				63
Life points																				2,250
Aggressive
Poisonous
Combat experience
XP																				112.5
XP																				34
XP																				37.1
XP																				10 (two-handed) 5 (one-handed and armour)
Slayer info
Level																				33
Assignment																				Harpie bug swarms
Master																				Chaeldar: 110–170
Offensive
Max hit
0												180												0												0												N/A
Style																														Rate
																														4 ticks (2.4s)
Combat levels
1															45															1															1
Accuracy
0															732															0															0
Defensive
Armour																				Weakness															Susceptible
732										45
Base hit chance
90															65															55															45
Immunities
Not immune															Not immune															Not immune															Not immune
Advanced data
NPC ID															3153
Links															bestiary • MRND

Harpie Bug Swarms are insectoid monsters that require level 33 Slayer to kill. They can only be damaged while a lit bug lantern is worn, which requires level 33 Firemaking to light. When killing harpie bug swarms, an elite version may spawn (guaranteed while on a Slayer assignment), which can be further increased with the use of fellstalk incense sticks.

Players kill harpie bug swarms as a source of medium clue scrolls and they have low defence.

They're found east of the Pothole 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 the 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. Players who do not or cannot use the shortcut can also bank in Shilo Village after completion of 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 for players who can access fairy rings DKP as the bank is just north-west of the main fairy ring in Zanaris.

Players can still be assigned harpie bug swarms as Slayer assignments, 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.

Locations

Location	Levels	Members	Requirements	Spawns	Map
North Karamja	63		None	13	Show map

Strengths and weaknesses

Harpie bug swarms use rapid Ranged 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. They are weakest to crush attacks. Due to their weakness to crush and quick range attacks, it is recommended to equip good melee armour and a dragon mace as its special attacks can deal massive damage on them.

Alternatively, players can use Magic or Ranged on 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, and using magic is not recommended due to their natural resistance to magical attacks. Ava's device 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 it and the sea.

A dwarf multicannon can be used to take down multiple swarms easily.

Another viable strategy, for those that have finished the Tai Bwo Wannai Trio quest, is to use Protect from Ranged prayer and refill prayer points at the Tribal Statue in the village, a short run away.

Drops

Drop rates estimated based on 5,531 samples from the Drop Log Project, unless otherwise cited.

The average Harpie Bug Swarm kill is worth 392 coins.

Charms

Nothing	1	1	1	1
91–92%	2%	6%	0.5%	0.2%
Represents a 90% confidence range based on a sample of 69,774 kills. 1 item is dropped at a time. Add data to the log (requires JavaScript).

Salvage

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	GE price	High Alch
	Tiny bladed steel salvage	1	4/128	1,042	240
	Small plated steel salvage	1	4/128	1,532	480
	Medium plated mithril salvage	1	2/128	3,339	1,800
	Tiny plated adamant salvage	1	1/128	1,247	2,000
	Tiny plated steel salvage	1	1/128	630	240

Weapons

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	GE price	High Alch
	Staff of fire	1	3/128	2,158	900

Runes

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	GE price	High Alch
	Death rune	3	3/128	672	186

Coins

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	GE price	High Alch
	Coins	40	43/128	40	40
	Coins	160	35/128	160	160
	Coins	230	10/128	230	230
	Coins	30	7/128	30	30
	Coins	490	2/128	490	490

Other

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	GE price	High Alch
	Gold stone spirit	1	8/128	735	N/A
	Jug of wine	1	2/128	81	76

Gem drop table

There is a 3/128 chance of rolling the gem drop table.

Gem and rare drop table

Item Quantity Rarity GE price High Alch Coins (m) 250–500 1/86.69 250–500 250–500 Coins 50 1/76.92 50 50 Uncut sapphire 1 1/176.17 666 15 Uncut emerald 1 1/341.33 801 30 Uncut ruby 1 1/682.67 475 60 Uncut diamond 1 1/2,730.67 959 120 Rune javelin (m) 5 1/1,365.33 940 1,870 Uncut dragonstone (m) 1 1/4,854.52–1/4,733.16 5,611 600 Tooth half of a key (m) 1 1/4,993.22–1/4,896.37 8,800 1 Loop half of a key (m) 1 1/4,993.22–1/4,896.37 8,800 1 Huge plated rune salvage 1 (noted) 1/69,905.07–1/56,797.87 37,689 40,000 Magic logs (m) 65–85 (noted) 1/87,381.33–1/70,997.33 51,675–67,575 12,480–16,320 Rune arrowheads 110–140 1/87,381.33–1/70,997.33 18,260–23,240 660–840 Soft clay (m) 35–45 (noted) 1/87,381.33–1/70,997.33 73,360–94,320 35–45 Small bladed orikalkum salvage (m) 1 (noted) 1/174,762.67–1/141,994.67 47,464 50,000 Catalytic anima stone (m) 35–45 1/174,762.67–1/141,994.67 38,745–49,815 6,300–8,100 Teak plank (m) 45–55 (noted) 1/174,762.67–1/141,994.67 9,405–11,495 13,500–16,500 Dragon bones (m) 35–45 (noted) 1/174,762.67–1/141,994.67 66,675–85,725 35–45 Dragon helm (m) 1 1/155,777.31–1/126,569.06 56,381 60,000 Dragon longsword (m) 1 1/562,050.79–1/456,666.26 57,585 60,000 Off-hand dragon longsword (m) 1 1/562,050.79–1/456,666.26 57,444 60,000 Molten glass (m) 45–55 (noted) 1/87,381.33; 0 16,830–20,570 45–55 Runite stone spirit (m) 27–33 1/87,381.33; 1/81,920; 0 53,919–65,901 N/A Raw lobster (m) 135–165 (noted) 1/87,381.33–1/76,458.67; 0 31,995–39,105 22,950–28,050 Shield left half (m) 1 1/2,796,202.67–1/2,271,914.67 70,017 66,000 Dragon spear (m) 1 1/1,597,830.1–1/1,298,236.95 34,405 37,440 Huge plated rune salvage 18–22 (noted) 1/3,728,270.22–1/3,029,219.56 678,402–829,158 720,000–880,000 Yew logs 675–825 (noted) 1/2,796,202.67–1/2,271,914.67 461,700–564,300 64,800–79,200 Super restore (4) (m) 45–55 (noted) 1/1,864,135.11–1/1,514,609.78 126,180–154,220 8,100–9,900 Prayer potion (4) 45–55 (noted) 1/1,864,135.11–1/1,514,609.78 320,175–391,325 5,130–6,270 Raw rocktail (m) 180–220 (noted) 1/2,236,962.13–1/1,817,531.73 153,900–188,100 64,800–79,200 Mahogany plank (m) 270–330 (noted) 1/3,728,270.22–1/3,029,219.56 235,170–287,430 243,000–297,000 Magic seed (m) 3–5 1/5,592,405.33–1/4,543,829.33 74,619–124,365 759–1,265 Water talisman 68–82 (noted) 1/6,990,506.67–1/5,679,786.67 47,192–56,908 136–164 Battlestaff (m) 180–220 (noted) 1/6,990,506.67–1/5,679,786.67 721,980–882,420 756,000–924,000 Hardened dragon bones (m) 45–55 (noted) 1/5,592,405.33–1/4,543,829.33 538,875–658,625 45–55 Onyx bolt tips (m) 135–165 1/6,990,506.67–1/5,679,786.67 880,065–1,075,635 729,000–891,000 Ciku seed (m) 1 1/6,990,506.67–1/5,679,786.67 34,118 300 Golden dragonfruit seed (m) 13–17 1/3,728,270.22–1/3,029,219.56 21,619–28,271 3,900–5,100 Uncut diamond 45–55 (noted) 1/2,236,962.13–1/1,817,531.73 43,155–52,745 5,400–6,600 Uncut dragonstone (m) 45–55 (noted) 1/5,592,405.33–1/4,543,829.33 252,495–308,605 27,000–33,000 Soul rune (m) 450–550 1/6,990,506.67–1/5,679,786.67 306,450–374,550 36,900–45,100 Light animica stone spirit (m) 270–330 1/2,796,202.67–1/2,271,914.67 143,370–175,230 N/A Dark animica stone spirit (m) 270–330 1/2,796,202.67–1/2,271,914.67 140,670–171,930 N/A Primal stone spirit (m) 90–150 1/2,663,050.16–1/2,163,728.25 1,629,180–2,715,300 N/A Crystal key (m) 9–11 (noted) 1/932,067.56–1/757,304.89 149,328–182,512 9–11 White berries (m) 67–85 (noted) 1/3,728,270.22–1/3,029,219.56 134,067–170,085 402–510 Ectoplasm (m) 270–330 1/2,796,202.67–1/2,271,914.67 479,250–585,750 1,620–1,980 Medium spiky orikalkum salvage (m) 3–5 (noted) 1/2,796,202.67–1/2,271,914.67 216,540–360,900 225,000–375,000 Large blunt necronium salvage (m) 2 (noted) 1/3,728,270.22–1/3,029,219.56 644,530 650,000 Wine of Saradomin (m) 13–17 (noted) 1/6,990,506.67–1/5,679,786.67 571,103–746,827 13–17 Aura refresh (m) 1 1/2,236,962.13–1/1,817,531.73 Not sold N/A Distraction & Diversion reset token (daily) (m) 1 1/5,592,405.33–1/4,543,829.33 Not sold N/A Distraction & Diversion reset token (weekly) (m) 1 1/5,592,405.33–1/4,543,829.33 Not sold N/A Distraction & Diversion reset token (monthly) (m) 1 1/5,592,405.33–1/4,543,829.33 Not sold N/A Vecna skull (m) 1 1/5,679,786.67; 0 474,190 6,000 Cheese+tom batta (m) 1 ~1/55,924,053.33–1/48,933,546.67; 0 728 1 Blurberry Special (m) 1 ~1/50,486,992.59; 0 46,021 18 Hazelmere's signet ring (m) 1 ~1/454,382,933.33; 0 6,344,705,771 300,000

Tertiary

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	GE price	High Alch
	Sealed clue scroll (medium)	1	1/128	Not sold	N/A
	Spirit sapphire (m)	1	5/2,000	Not sold	N/A
	Spirit emerald (m)	1	3/2,000	Not sold	N/A
	Spirit ruby (m)	1	2/2,000	Not sold	N/A
	Starved ancient effigy	1	Very rare	Not sold	N/A

Universal drops

Universal drops are dropped by nearly every monster and skilling action outside of Daemonheim.

These items are dropped alongside main drops.

	Item	Quantity	Rarity	GE price	High Alch
	Key token	1	Rare	Not sold	N/A
	Mimic kill token (m)	1	1/10,000	65,324	N/A

Update history

This information has been compiled as part of the update history project. Some updates may not be included – see here for how to help out!

• update 15 September 2014 (Update):
  • Many monster types have had their rune drop rates reduced or removed, in order to increase the value of altar runecrafting.
    • Harpie Bug Swarms have had their fire and chaos rune drops removed. To compensate, the coins drop rate has been increased.

• update 30 January 2006 (Update):
  • Added to game.

Trivia

• During the 25 October 2011 triple Slayer experience event, these monsters did not give triple Slayer experience, unlike all other tasks.