Bugland: A Real Pest
Adult locust borers (Megacyllene robiniae) are sometimes confused as wasps or hornets. They don’t sting, but these insects are serious pests. In the fall the females lay eggs in crevices of untreated locust trees. Once winter ends the larvae tunnel into the tree trunks, creating prime infection sites for a type of fungus that causes heart rot. Woodpeckers are natural enemies of the locust borer, as they can consume up to 30 percent of larvae. So peck away, Woody Woodpecker! This locust borer was photographed at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal north of Park Hill by Mark Silverstein.