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What’s this Wasp-like thing?
January 9, 2010
For the last month or so I’ve been finding these wasp-like insects around my house. It’s dead of winter. It’s freezing outside. An Orkin guy came out and he had no idea what it was, why it was awake, where it was coming from or how it could be stopped! He thought maybe it was an extremely young wasp but really didn’t know. They are awake though just barely. I put one in my freezer to make sure I had one to show the Orkin guy and when I took it out the next day it came back to life. I’m not sure whether or not it’s something I should even be worried about.
Help!
Southern New Jersey

Red Headed Ash Borer

Dear Help!,
This beetle is a Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus.  Its coloration does mimic that of a wasp for protection.  If you have firewood in the house, the beetles are probably emerging from the wood pile.  Though the larvae bore in wood, they are not interested in treated wood used in home building or in furniture, so you need not fear that they are infesting the house.  Again, we believe the heat of the home is causing them to emerge from some recently introduced wood supply.  You may read more on BugGuide.

Thank you so much for your quick response.  I am very relieved to find out that they are not wasps, just harmless beetles.  I figured out where they were coming from thanks to your clues, but they were not coming from the typical source you mentioned, not firewood, but instead from a natural wood perch we purchased for our iguana cage.  I can see small holes that look like they were drilled out where the beetles were coming from.  I really thought that they were some kind of bee or wasp since we had also been finding some dead bees in our house in the last few months….
Thanks again for your help.  Your website is very interesting.
Karen

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