This habit gives the insect its common name. There is at least one other species of pine needle miner in this area, Coletechnites edulicola , found in pinyon. Its life history and habits are similar to those of the ponderosa pine needle miner. So far, it has not been considered a serious pest in Colorado. The ponderosa pine needle miner has one generation per year.
Adults fly and lay eggs in late summer, often inside old, previously mined needles.
The eggs hatch in early fall. The tiny larvae move to green needles, bore in near the needle tip, and begin mining. Development continues slowly through the winter, then accelerates rapidly with the coming of warm spring weather. Each larva completes its development in a single needle and pupates in the mined-out needle in midsummer. Mined needles drop prematurely.