[4] Ips confusus play an important role in pinyon-juniper forests by killing weak or damaged pinyon pine trees.

However, beetle population booms, drought, comorbid fungal infections, or a combination of these can lead to an increased risk of infestation, even in healthy trees.

[5] Water stress can compromise the effectiveness of the pitch tube defense, requiring less effort from the beetle for a successful infestation.

The pinyon engraver bio-oxidizes terpenes present in the sap to produce pheromones signaling the location of a suitable host, which in turn draws free-flying beetles en masse to join the attack.

Depending on environmental conditions and signal strength, some Ips species can detect and respond to this call from over eleven miles away.

After mating, each female bores an egg gallery out from the nuptial chamber following along the grain of the wood.