This insect is trying to pretend it is a bee or wasp.
Sara wasn’t fooled, however. It is actually a beetle called the locust borer, Megacyllene robiniae.The adults are very commonly found feeding on goldenrod in the fall where black locusts grow.
The adult beetles lay their eggs in the wood of the black locust tree. The larvae tunnel through the wood, eating it.
Note:Â If you see a beetle that looks like this in the spring, it just might be a hickory borer instead.
