Locust Borer vs African Twig Girdler

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Locust Borer African Twig Girdler
Scientific Name Megacyllene robiniae Analeptes trifasciata
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Cerambycidae Cerambycidae
Size 14-22 mm 20-35 mm
Habitat Farmland Farmland
Diet Pollen Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Eastern and Central North America West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Locust Borer

A striking yellow-and-black wasp mimic that attacks black locust trees in North America. Adults appear in autumn and are commonly found on goldenrod flowers. Larval boring weakens locust trunks and can cause breakage.

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Did You Know?

Adults synchronize their emergence with goldenrod bloom, making autumn fields their primary mating arenas.

African Twig Girdler

A distinctive African lamiin known for its habit of girdling living tree branches. The female chews a ring around a branch and lays eggs in the portion beyond the girdle, which then dies and falls. Adults have three pale fasciae across the elytra.

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Did You Know?

Girdled branches litter the ground beneath infested trees, and a single female may girdle dozens of branches in her lifetime.