Adults chew distinctive holes in the leaves that resemble curved rice grains in size and shape. The larval stage, a white legless grub, develops and feeds inside the leaves of poplar and sassafras. The combined activity of adults and larvae can cause significant leaf loss. While injured leaves cause the trees to be unsightly, damage to established trees probably does not affect its overall health. There is one generation of this insect each year.
Adults pass the winter in leaf litter.
They become active and start to feed on warm days in late April and early May. Before bud break, the weevils attack the swelling buds leaving their distinctive feeding marks. As the leaves unfold and enlarge, they, too, are fed upon. Mating and egg laying occurs in May and early June. The eggs are placed in the midrib on the underside of the leaves.