Dead or live tree? What kind of tree? It looks like a root borer or pine sawyer.

The tree is alive, for now :(
But I have no idea what type it is. Definitely not live oak, a pine or magnolia (I recognize those easily). I did a search for sawyer. I didn't see anything with the prominent (and very obvious) "pinchers".
It was boring a hole, pushing sawdust out as it went. I haven't seen another one yet, but as we all know, where there's one, there's more.
I don't know if this has anything to do with this particular bug but this tree had a minor case of bagworms last fall...apparently winter cured that.
Any help appreciated! Jo

Well, I've been given 3 names for this beetle...longhorn beetle, coleoptera beetle and passilid beetle.
Searches using the first two names, I find
1-matching info (boring, sawdust, etc)
2-conflicting info on the harmfulness of said critter
3-no visual match
Searches using the third name, I find
1-a visual match
2-no info whatever!
So I am still stuck, and still searching. Any help appreciated.
Jo

The single most bestest way to get this IDed is to put the beetle in a sealable plastic bag and take it to your local office of the Texas A & M USDA Cooperative Extension Service.

Use 'giant root borer' as your search words (in google) and compare some of the images. They ALL have large mandibles, though the images may not show them at their best angle. There are many species of these borers, and many of the resemble each other greatly.

Here is a link that might be useful: Check out these images...