Considered a serious coffee pest in French Guinea, it is also widely distributed the tropical areas of West Africa, coffee growing areas of East Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, India, Malaysia, Java, Sumatra, and Fiji. Once inside they excavate galleries and lay eggs. This excavation, along with the introduction of pathogens, is the cause of damage to the host. Damage is not caused by feeding, since the beetle larvae feed on ambrosia fungus introduced by the female. Infestation by one to three females is sufficient to kill the twig or branch.
Infestation becomes apparent when die-back of twigs and branches occurs.
The black twig borer belongs to the tribe Xyleborini, all of which feed on ambrosia fungus and are called ambrosia beetles. The black twig borer is somewhat unique in that it attacks living plants rather than dead or dying ones. The life cycle of the black twig borer is completed in about a month. Males spend their entire lives inside the brood gallery. Females mate inside the brood gallery and then leave to produce new galleries.