Invertebrates
Wasp Beetle
Clytus arietis
On a hawthorn blossom in May, a wasp beetle scurries across the flowers, its yellow-and-black stripes and waving antennae a convincing imitation of the real thing.
Overview
The wasp beetle, Clytus arietis, is a Not Evaluated longhorn beetle of woodland edges, hedgerows, and gardens across Europe and into Asia. Its wasp disguise, down to its jerky walk, makes it one of the best-known examples of mimicry among European insects.
A beetle that plays the wasp
By copying the colours and behaviour of a dangerous insect, the wasp beetle avoids being eaten by many predators, without needing a sting of its own.
Status
Not Evaluated globally, though widespread and common.
Wasp Beetle: common questions
Is the wasp beetle a wasp?
No, it is a harmless longhorn beetle that mimics a wasp, with no sting and no venom.
How does it look like a wasp?
It has a black body banded with bright yellow, moves with quick, jerky steps, and waves its antennae like a wasp.
Where do the larvae live?
They live and feed in dead and decaying wood, such as old branches, fence posts, and stumps.
Where is the wasp beetle found?
It lives in woodland edges, hedgerows, and gardens across Europe and into Asia.