Its range extends from Madagascar and much of tropical Africa, through Sri Lanka and southern India, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China and Japan to Indonesia, New Guinea and various islands in the Pacific.

[4] Its presence in Hawaii is putting some rare and threatened endemic trees such as Alectryon macrococcus,[5] Colubrina oppositifolia, Caesalpinia kavaiensis, and Flueggea neowawraea, at risk.

[1] A study in Uganda's shaded robusta coffee systems, tree species suppressing X. compactus infestation characteristically exuded copious sap regardless of any stress.

Therefore, the presence or absence of copious sap exuding from trees upon injury likely differentiates X. compactus hosts from non-hosts.

Like other ambrosia beetles, the adult female carries fungal symbionts, particularly Ambrosiella xylebori and Fusarium species.

[4] After pupation, the newly emerged female beetles remain in the tunnels for about eight days, and mating takes place here.

The females live for about forty days; symptoms of the infestation of a twig include the death of the stem and leaves beyond the tunnel entrance.