This species covers itself in a white waxy material on larch and can cause the foliage to become discoloured and distorted causing a premature loss of needles.   On spruce it forms pineapple galls that are up to 15mm long.   The blackish nymphs of this adelgid overwinter on young larch shoots, maturing in early spring and laying eggs at the base of leaves.   Nymphs from these eggs develop into wingless or winged 1.5 mm long dark green adults.   The winged individuals migrate to spruce.   Wingless individuals continue to breed on larch and extensive populations can develop, characterised by large quantities of white waxen wool and honeydew.   Those that migrate to spruce produce a wingless generation that produces gall forming individuals in the following spring.   Winged individuals mature in these galls in summer and migrate to larches where they lay eggs.