[6][7] Oak timberworms were discovered in a shipment of wooden furniture from the US in Nova Scotia and are now established in the Maritime Provinces of Canada.

[7] An individual was also intercepted in France in 2005 in a shipment of oak wood products imported from the US; however, this species has not established in Europe.

[3][7] Galleries made by this species are typically straight and horizontal and become progressively larger in diameter as the larvae develop and grow in size.

[3][6] Oak timberworms are secondary pests that attack recently felled logs and in wounds on living trees.

[3][8] Signs of infestation by oak timberworms include straight or U-shaped galleries ranging from 0.2 to 4.0 mm in diameter in the xylem of the host tree.

[3] Once mating has occurred, females will bore a minute, hair-sized hole in the exposed sapwood and deposit a single egg in this cavity.

[3] After hatching, larvae bore directly into xylem and tunnel through the trunk until they nearly reach the other side of the tree.

[10] Oak wilt can cause rather sudden mortality in host trees due to the disruption of sap and water flow in the xylem.

[9] The primary economic losses come from larval boring damage to live standing trees; however, this insect has been known to attack unseasoned lumber, stave bolts, and squared timber.

[3] The oak timberworm is listed on the European Food Safety Authority’s Annex IAI, meaning that it has potential to become an introduced pest and its importation is banned.

[6] There are concerns that it could become established in Europe and spread the destructive oak wilt fungus due to similar climatic conditions and an abundance of potential hosts.