Peach Tree Borer (Male)

Natural Habitat

Orchards, gardens, and landscapes containing stone fruit trees, particularly near the base of peach, cherry, and plum trees.

Diet & Feeding

Adults may feed on nectar; larvae are wood-borers that feed on the inner bark and cambium of trees in the genus Prunus.

Behavior Patterns

Diurnal (active during the day) flyers that practice mimicry, resembling wasps to deter predators. They have a single generation per year, with larvae overwintering inside the host tree's trunk.

Risks & Benefits

Significant agricultural pest; larvae cause severe damage or death to fruit trees by girdling the trunk. They provide no direct benefit to humans but are part of the local food web for birds and predatory insects.

Identified on: 5/30/2026