The full grown larvae are 14–16 mm (0.55–0.63 in), typical for weevils, apodial, curved and are whitish, with brown head.

Large pine weevils can locate spots on the ground to dig into in a great precision using olfactory cues.

[2] To get to maturity, adults feed on the bark and phloem of seedlings and young conifers, but sometimes also deciduous trees, causing severe growth loss, stem deformities and increased mortality.

[4] In the spring, after hibernation, in the ground in the forest litter, females lay eggs on, in, or near the roots of sick, or freshly felled trees.

The larvae hatch after 2 or 3 weeks, and feed under the bark, excavating galleries and complete development, ending with pupation case, leaving the entrance blocked by sawdust.

The oviposition takes place in April or May, so the weevils emerge in August or September, but are not sexually active until after the winter.

In colder seasons the larval development is longer and then the whole cycle lasts twelve months, resulting that imagos able to reproduce quickly.

Biennial generation it is also common, by which the larvae hatch from eggs laid in May, live through the whole season overwinter and the imago appears in July or August next year.

The life cycles of entomopathogenic nematodes and B. hylobii are well adapted to their host and both are capable of locating, infecting and killing H. abietis in the concealed environment of the tree stump.

(The potential for biological control to reduce Hylobius abietis damage, by Julia Brixey) In 1994 was treated in Asturias (Spain), because of great attack, with Metoxicloro 1% in 20 ha affected.