Subject: Yellow Jacket Mimic
Location: Ritzville, WA
September 10, 2013 10:54 am
I noticed this insect while pumping gas at a gas station near Ritzville, WA. It’s legs will twitch spontaneously like a yellow jackets’ back legs do. It stayed very still otherwise.
Signature: Thank you Glen
Locust Borer
Hi Glen,
This Locust Borer is a very effective Yellow Jacket Mimic. Adult Locust Borers are often found on goldenrod in the autumn. Larvae bore into black locust trees. According to BugGuide: “Considered a serious pest of Black Locust trees; previously weakened or damaged trees are often killed by an infestation of the larvae. Previously confined to the native range of Black Locust in the northeast, it has spread with the trees throughout the US. Unfortunately Black Locust is used for reclamation and similar projects where trees are likely to be stressed out and thus more vulnerable to insect damage.”
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Can they swim
They do not swim, but they will float.
can they sting?
no, they do not sting.
i mean can they hurt you at all for example can they bite are they poisonous
They have mandibles so they might bite, but we doubt the bite would break the skin or cause much pain. They are not poisonous.
can they do any thing that can harm?
We don’t understand your question. Fear can cause even the most benign creature to do harm. If someone was driving and a harmless Locust Borer entered the car, the driver might freak out and drive off the road.
can they see good the one i found flew into me
I found one in Chapultepec, México.