The insect pupates in the spring and the adults emerge in June, continuing to emerge through July and often early August. Round-headed apple tree borer adults deposit eggs under bark and in small cavities in the tree trunk, near the ground. The larvae hatch, and bore into the tree, eventually reaching the heartwood. The larvae pupate and emerge as adults two to three years later. Dogwood borers bore into burr knots or adventitious roots just below the graft union.
Insects are detectable by the presence of reddish brown frass on the surface of the bored wood.
Presence of round-headed apple tree borers is detectable by sawdust casting pushed from the on the ground beneath bored tunnels. Traps should be installed during bloom. Traps may be baited with either dogwood borer pheromone or lilac borer pheromone. Research in Virginia has shown that traps baited with the lilac borer pheromone are actually more effective at catching dogwood borer than traps baited with the dogwood borer pheromone. Traps should be hung at four feet above the ground.