Last updated: Jan 10 2026

OSRS Harpie Bug Swarm Slayer Task Guide: Strategy & Safespots

OSRS Harpie Bug Swarm Slayer Task Guide: Strategy & Safespots

If you've just been assigned Harpie Bug Swarms as your next Slayer task, don't worry -- this guide will cover everything you need to know to get in, kill them quickly, and move on with your Slayer grind.

Requirements

To be assigned and kill Harpie Bug Swarms, you must have:

  •   33 Slayer
  •   33 Firemaking, which is required to wield the Bug Lantern -- you must have it equipped or they will be immune to your attacks.
  •   A Bug Lantern, which can be purchased from any Slayer Master.

Without the lantern equipped, you cannot damage them, so make sure to pick one up before heading out.

Location

You'll find Harpie Bug Swarms swarming the shoreline south of Brimhaven, just outside a small cave near the coastline.

East of the Colossal Wyrm Remains

After grabbing a charter ship that drops you off at Sunset Coast, run east until you find the Harpie Swamp Bug.

How to Get There

Harpie Bug Swarms are found just south of Brimhaven, along the western coastline of Karamja. Getting there isn't difficult, but you've got a few solid options:

  •   POH in Brimhaven: If your house is there, this is the fastest method. Simply teleport to house and run south.
  •   Captain Barnaby in Rimmington or Ardougne: Take his charter to Brimhaven. If your house is still in Rimmington (common for low levels), teleport there and use the dock west of the portal -- this is cheaper and closer than using Port Sarim.
  •   Amulet of Glory: Teleport to Karamja and run west and then slightly south through Brimhaven.
  •   Stamina Potions may be worth bringing if you're low level or don't have fairy rings unlocked -- it's a bit of a run from the docks to the spawn point.

Combat Strategy

Harpie Bug Swarms are low-defense monsters that are weak to all combat styles, making them a flexible task. Whether you want to train melee, ranged, or magic, anything will work here. They're level 46 and can hit up to 6, which is noticeable for low-defense accounts.

If you're a lower-level player, it's recommended to bring food or prayer potions to use protect from melee. Their attacks can stack quickly, especially if you're not paying full attention. Despite their low HP, they attack fast and frequently.

Also, bring a teleport out in case you get into trouble -- ideally a house tab or amulet of glory.

Gear

This is just an example gear set up, if you have better gear please don't be shy about using it, this is to give you a rough idea of what you need to carry and keep in mind that there will always be better options in terms of armor and weapons.

Magic Setup (Recommended)

  • Head slot: Void mage helm / Slayer helm (i)
  • Neck slot: Occult necklace / Amulet of Glory
  • Cape slot: Imbued Saradomin Cape
  • Body slot: Elite void top / Ahrim / Mystic
  • Leg slot: Elite void bottom / Ahrim / Mystic
  • Weapon slot: Mystic smoke staff / Trident of Swamp
  • Shield slot: Bug lantern
  • Ammo slot: Any Blessing
  • Glove slot: Void knight gloves
  • Boot slot: Eternal boots
  • Ring slot: Magus ring  

Inventory

  • Food (sharks or manta ray)
  • Super magic potion / Divine
  • Stamina Potion
  • Glory teleports to the bank
  • Dramen Staff
  • Runes for Fire Spell you will be using (50% weakness)

Melee gear

  • Head slot: Spiny Helmet / Slayer helm (i)  
  • Neck slot: Amulet of Fury / Amulet of Torture
  • Cape slot: Ardougne Cloak / Fire cape
  • Body slot: Fighter Torso / Rune Platebody  
  • Leg slot: Rune Platelegs / Obsidian Platelegs  
  • Weapon slot: Dragon Scimitar / Abyssal Whip
  • Shield slot: Bug lantern
  • Ammo slot: Rada's blessing
  • Glove slot: Rune gloves / Barrows gloves
  • Boot slot: Climbing boots / Dragon boots
  • Ring slot: Berserker Ring / Berserker Ring (i)  

Inventory

  • Food (sharks or manta ray)
  • Super combat potion / Divine
  • Bug Lantern (lit)
  • Ardougne teleport to the bank and come back by charter ship
  • Coins for charter ship to brimhaven
  • Cannon (highly recommended)

Ranged Gear

  • Head slot: Slayer helm (i) / Spiny Helmet
  • Neck slot: Necklace of anguish / Amulet of Fury
  • Cape slot: Ava's assambler
  • Body slot: God d'hide top / Karil's leathertop
  • Leg slot: God d'hide bottom / Karil's leatherskirt
  • Weapon slot: Rune crossbow
  • Shield slot: Bug lantern
  • Ammo slot: Broad Bolts
  • Glove slot: Barrows' gloves
  • Boot slot: D'hide boots  
  • Ring slot: Archer's ring / Archer's ring (i)

Inventory

  • Food (sharks or manta ray)
  • Super ranging potion / Divine
  • Bug Lantern (lit)
  • Ardougne teleport to the bank and come back by charter ship
  • Coins for charter ship to brimhaven
  • Cannon (highly recommended)

Prayer is not necessary unless you want to boost your attack stats.

Cannon Usage

Yes, you can use a Dwarf Multicannon at Harpie Bug Swarms -- and it's highly recommended.

  • They have low HP, so cannonballs go a long way.
  • This turns an otherwise average task into a fast and efficient one, especially if you're point boosting or just rushing through early Slayer levels.

Pro tip: Set the cannon in the center of the spawn area, and the Harpies will respawn into range automatically.

Safespot

There isn't a traditional safespot here, but if you're using magic or ranged, you can kite them around the environment -- especially near the southern rock formations by the spawn. You'll need to manually lure and move, but it can reduce the amount of hits taken. There's enough open space to get creative with positioning if you're a low-level iron or hardcore.

Drops

  Weapons and armour

Steel axe (1/32), Steel full helm (1/32), Staff of fire (1/42.67), Mithril chainbody (1/64), Adamant med helm (1/128), Steel boots (1/128)

  Runes

Fire rune ×30 (1/6.4), Fire rune ×60 (1/16), Chaos rune ×15 (1/25.6), Death rune ×3 (1/42.67)

  Other

Gold ore (1/16), Jug of wine (1/64)

  Gem drop table

Uncut sapphire (1/170.67), Uncut emerald (1/341.33), Uncut ruby (1/682.67), Nature talisman (1/1,820.44), Uncut diamond (1/2,730.67), Loop half of key (1/5,461.33), Tooth half of key (1/5,461.33), Rune javelin ×5 (1/5,461.33), Rune spear (1/87,381.33), Shield left half (1/174,762.67), Dragon spear (1/233,016.89)

  Tertiary

Clue scroll (medium) (1/128)

Conclusion

Harpie Bug Swarms are a fast, easy task -- especially for mid-level players looking for quick Slayer points and XP. Just make sure to bring that Bug Lantern and a few food items, and you'll be done in no time.

Need a breather from the longer boss grinds? Harpies are a perfect break -- simple mechanics, quick kills, and decent XP for their level.

About Author

Alberjma

Alberjma is an experienced Old School RuneScape player with over 15 years of in-game knowledge. He began his journey with LuckyCharmGold as a trusted service provider in the Discord server and, after four years of dedication, was promoted to Copywriter on the website. Originally from Colombia, Alberjma officially joined LuckyCharmGold as an Author in 2025. He uses his years of gameplay and passion for OSRS to craft informative and helpful content for players of all experience levels.

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