Larvae live underneath a pitch mass. Adult moths are active and lay eggs in tree wounds from late June through August. The larvae undergo four molts before changing to the pupal stage. Pupation takes place in the chamber of pitch and silk produced by the larvae. Larval feeding over the summer causes most of the damage.
Generations take one to two years.
They have a pronounced cavity on the rear end that is lined with three to six pairs of tooth-like spines. Adults lay eggs along galleries. Once the larvae hatch, they feed just inside the bark and mine away from the pupal chamber. From egg to adult takes 21 to 40 days in summer and several months in winter. The beetles are dormant from November to March.