Wasp or not - Ask Extension
Found in the Irish Hills and was curious as to what and where they came from.
Knowledgebase
Wasp or not #870086
Asked May 25, 2024, 6:10 PM EDT
Found in the Irish Hills and was curious as to what and where they came from.
Lenawee County Michigan
Expert Response
That is a beetle (Order Coleoptera) in the family cerambycidae. There are a a number of species in that family which mimic wasps with their color patterns. Most of those species are in the genera Clytus and Xylotrechus. This looks like it might be Clytus ruricola but I can't be sure without examining the specimen in person. You can compare yours to a photo of that species here: https://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5017029
None of these species are particularly harmful. They attack trees that are already dead or dying. C. ruricola feeds in decaying maple trees.
None of these species are particularly harmful. They attack trees that are already dead or dying. C. ruricola feeds in decaying maple trees.
