I found this awesome looking creature yesterday afternoon while reworking a rock wall and thanks again to an expert at Bugguide, I’m becoming educated regarding our local insects. I was most concerned with whether it wants to eat my plants/trees but I was assured that it doesn’t eat living plant tissue. So…keep your garden healthy!

Click on the photo to see my post for ID request at Bugguide.

Update: correct ID of this beetle is Cryptoglossa (Death-feigning Beetle)