Males of lesser peachtree borer have yellow scales on the top of the head between the eyes and black scales between the antennae. This combination differentiates them from males of peachtree borer, which have black scales between the eyes and yellow scales between the antennae. Lesser peachtree borer larvae are white with a yellowish brown head and reach 1 inch at maturity. May. Larvae eat an exit hole nearly through the bark, spin a cocoon, and pupate in a small cavity. In 3 to 4 weeks a clear-winged moth emerges, leaving an empty pupal skin projecting from the burrow.
Adults are active for several weeks.
The female moth is capable of laying several hundred eggs in cracks, under bark scales, and in cankered areas. Moths are attracted to trees that have been injured or previously infested. Eggs hatch in a week to 10 days and young worms move to the inner bark and continue to feed. Monitoring Growers first notice evidence of borer infestation by checking for pupal skins in cankered areas. An early sign of lesser peachtree borer injury is the presence of wood chips, sawdust, and frass produced by feeding borers in the gum in cankered areas.