Locust borer vs Wasp beetle

These two are easy to mix up. Here's how to tell a locust borer from a wasp beetle, and whether either one bites or stings.

≠The key differences

Also a wasp-mimicking longhorn but smaller and found mainly in Europe; banding pattern and body shape differ and host plants are different.

	Locust borer	Wasp beetle
To humans	Non-toxic	Non-toxic
Size	10-20 mm body length	7-15 mm long
Colours	Black, Bright yellow, Brown (legs/antennae)	Black, Yellow, Orange, Brown
Family	Cerambycidae	Cerambycidae
Habitat	Woodland edges, parks, windbreaks, any area with black locust trees; adults visit flowers and trunks of host trees.	Woodland edges, hedgerows, orchards and gardens — adults visit flowers; larvae develop in dead or decaying hardwood (broadleaf) timber.
Range	Native to eastern North America; present across the United States and southern Canada where black locust grows, occasionally elsewhere where hosts are planted.	Widely distributed across Europe and into parts of western Asia; common in temperate regions with deciduous trees.
Active	Adults active late summer to early fall (often August-September) during warm daylight hours.	Mainly spring and summer (often May to August); adults are diurnal and active in warm, sunny weather.
Pest?	Yes	No

Black and bright yellow banded elytra forming wasp-like stripes across the back.
Long antennae typical of longhorn beetles; adults 10-20 mm long.
Adults active in late summer on flowers and on trunks of black locust trees.
Presence of small round exit holes and powdery frass or galleries under bark indicates larval infestation.

Black elytra with bright yellow to orange transverse bands forming a wasp-like pattern.
Small size, 7-15 mm, with relatively long antennae typical of longhorn beetles.
Quick, jerky movements and a habit of visiting flowers in sunlight.
No true wasp waist and hard elytra (beetle structure) — pick up gently to confirm if needed.

Also a wasp-mimicking longhorn but smaller and found mainly in Europe; banding pattern and body shape differ and host plants are different.

Locust borer: Non-toxic. Wasp beetle: Non-toxic. Adults are harmless to people. Wasp beetles are harmless to people.

Identification from photos is never certain: don't handle insects you can't identify, and get medical advice for bites, stings or allergic reactions.