Females lay up to 76 eggs, which hatch in 2 weeks. Mature larvae construct oblong cells in the thick bark or wood in the fall and pupate the following spring. There is only 1 generation per year. Avoid planting susceptible birch species. European white birch and its cutleaf cultivar are most susceptible to attack, followed closely by grey birch.
Paper birch is less susceptible but lacks the graceful pendulous habit of European white.
The U.S. National Arboretum and others continue their breeding programs to produce resistant birches with desirable landscape characteristics. Improper site selection for planting the birch tree often contributes to the borer attack and death of the tree. Under natural conditions, birch grows best in cool, moist, shaded situations. It is not adapted ecologically to an open, sunny exposed location, such as the middle of a large, open yard or the exposed south or west side of a building. A birch tree or clump struggling along in such an unfavorable site will lose vigor and become weakened so that the borers are able to become established successfully.