Banded Alder Borer

I live in Southern California and encountered the most hideous insect I have ever seen.
Here’s a description:
Black with white covering entire body.
Length: 2-3″
Antennae: very long 2″minimum
It resembled a skeleton.
Had 4-6 legs.
Body seemed very hard.
Please advise
—Peter DiVincenzo

Dear Peter,
My original guess would have been a Eucalyptus Tree Borer (Phoracantha semipunctata) but the black and white coloring suggests a relative, the Banded Alder Borer (Rosalia funebris) instead. This is a very attractive beetle with black and white striped antennae which are longer than the body. It feeds on alder, ash and other hardwood trees, occasionally boring into the wood of laurel, live oak and eucalyptus as well. Adults are sometimes attracted to the fumes of fresh paint.

Try these sites for a photo and more information.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/97/6.19.97/
beetle.html
http://www.uvm.edu/albeetle/bandedalderborer.html

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Location: southern California