Adults are about 3/4 inch long and slightly oval; they are shiny and brightly colored. The larvae are called flat—headed borers because the body region behind the head is broad and flattened.
Development. Eggs are laid in crevices in freshly cut softwood or hardwood logs.
First stage larvae bore and feed close to the wood surface; older larvae bore deeper into the wood. Development is completed in one or two years, but it may extend to three or four years in wood with low moisture content.
Habits. These beetles prefer recently felled rather than seasoned wood, and they often come to trees immediately after they are cut. They can occur in seasoned lumber and may be pests of modern log houses. The distinctly oval larval galleries, sometimes packed with frass, may be seen in wood siding. Solitary bees may excavate these exposed galleries as nest sites. The activity of these bees may give the false impression of an active beetle infestation.