Red Headed Ash Borer

Subject:  Fast on foot and flies
Geographic location of the bug:  Eastern TN, US
Date: 06/21/2020
Time: 12:33 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  Hi!  Since moving to Eastern TN, we’ve found our new home to be teeming with all sorts of life.  Here is one that stood out and which I could not identify.  Maybe you can?
How you want your letter signed:  Keith

Red Headed Ash Borer

Dear Keith,
This is a Red Headed Ash Borer, Neoclytus acuminatus, or a closely related species of Longhorned Borer Beetle.  All indications are that the color, markings and behavior of the Red Headed Ash Borer mimic that of a stinging wasp, which protects the harmless beetle from potential predators.  According to BugGuide:  “Larvae feed on the sapwood of ash and other hardwoods, and even occasionally on vines and shrubs. Larvae are common in downed timber with the bark left on.”

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