Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What insect is this? > Insects found indoors > Winged Insects - 1/2 inch and greater > Horntail
Horntail
Tremex columba
Jeff Hahn, University of Minnesota Extension
Steve Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org
Description: 1 - 2 inches long. Cylindrically shaped insects; reddish brown head, reddish brown and black thorax, and a black abdomen with yellowish stripes; also has long, amber-colored wings; females possess a conspicuous ovipositor.
Where/When: Occasionally found indoors, primarily in the winter. Horntails are typically associated with firewood, especially maple, oak, and elm.
Significance: They are harmless to people and do not re-infest wood or otherwise damage property; they are just a nuisance.
