Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: Pine Borers, 0 by Cibarius

Cibarius wrote:
Last year in mid-summer I had a pine tree in my yard suddenly die. All the needles turned brown at once. By September it was clear that I had no choice but to have it removed. The sawyer who came to do the removal said that pine borers had killed it. He also said that the borers would likely go right down the line of trees, killing them all in turn. Can someone help me find information on this pest? I am especially interested in its life cycle. My location is Tennessee.
Attached is a photo of the trunk of the next tree in line.