September 24, 2026
The past four days have been foggy, chilly and rainy. Today the sun was actually in and out. A most welcome sight. During those gray days, I was looking forward to sunshine, with hopes that perhaps I’d again see some migrating Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). But no luck.
Instead I saw a wealth of other pollinators, Common Eastern Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens), Bee Flies (Bombyliidae), and many Locust Borers (Megacyllene robiniae), including the one above.
The adult Locust Borer loves both the nectar and pollen of Goldenrod (Solidago). Its host plant is the Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and the larvae can do serious damage to a Locust tree by tunneling into its trunk or branches.
Fortunately though, they target weakened or stressed Black Locust trees rather than attacking healthy trees.
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