Adults are reddish brown to black. The head of the adult is bent downward. Larvae are C—shaped and pale white, with small legs.
Development. Eggs are laid on the rough surface of wood that is two to five years old. Hatching is in about eight days. The first—stage larvae immediately burrow into the wood. The larval galleries are packed with frass. Larvae reduce feeding in response to low temperatures and low wood moisture. Full-grown larvae tunnel close to the surface and prepare a pupal chamber. The life cycle is one to five years, depending on the wood infested.
Habits. Pine timber may be re-infested and infestations continue until nearly all the sapwood portion of the wood has been consumed, leaving only the annual rings.