The cowboy beetle grows to 20–25 mm long with females generally slightly larger than males. It has a yellow-brown colouration and when in flightproduce a loudbuzzingnoise which creates the illusion of a large wasp. It also does this when it feels threatened.
Eggs are laid in damplocations in or around rotting logs. Once hatched, the larvae feed on the rotting timber until ready to pupate. They construct their pupae from mud and rotting debris. Adults emerge in summer. Adults feed on nectar-bearing shrubs and trees.