Adults do not feed. They live on fat stored in their bodies. Adult life span can last up to 12 days, but a female who has deposited all her eggs may live as little as 3 or 4 days. Females deposit between 20 and 500 eggs, depending on their size. She will then drill up to four more holes.
Toxic mucus is injected during drilling.
The mucus causes the foliage to wilt and yellow, creating ideal conditions for the spread of the fungus. The fungus causes the wood to dry out, creating a more favourable environment for egg hatching, and is later fed on by the larvae. These effects together may kill the tree. Larvae hatch from the eggs after a minimum of nine days, but the eggs may remain dormant for several months, overwintering in cooler climates. Pupation lasts between 16 and 21 days and is preceded by a prepupal stage of 3 to 5 days.