Subject —
Yellow and black beetle
Geographic location of the bug: Inland Northwest USA (Spokane, WA)
Date: 09/15/2017
Time: 07:32 PM EDT
We found a bright beetle in our backyard. Our mom tried to look it up but couldn’t find an answer for sure. We think it is a wasp mimic beetle but we aren’t sure. Please help! 🙂
How you want your letter signed: Jack and Archie
Dear Jack and Archie,
You are correct that the Locust Borer is an effective mimic of stinging Yellowjackets. The larval host tree is the black locust, which is native to the North American northeast, but with the planting of black locust trees in other locations, including Washington, the range of the Locust Borer has expanded as well. 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 and parts of Canada. Unfortunately Black Locust is used for reclamation and similar projects where trees are likely to be stressed and thus more vulnerable to insect damage.”