Reproductive success is strongly affected by insects that infest the flower spikes and fruiting structures. Infestation of the flower spikes is not as severe as in other "Banksia" species: one study found less than 10% of "B. telmatiaea" inflorescences to be infested, compared to over 50% for "B. attenuata" (candlestick banksia), "B. littoralis" and "B. menziesii" (Menzies' banksia), and over 90% for "B. grandis" (bull banksia). Also, whereas other species were attacked by a range of insects, the inflorescence of "B. telmatiaea" was attacked only by the tortrix moth "Arotrophora arcuatalis" (banksia boring moth), which burrows into the woody axis, rendering the spike barren. On the other hand, the same study observed heavy infestation of fruiting structures, with over 90% of spikes with follicles found to contain at least one larva of an unidentified species of moth of the genus "Xylorycta". These larvae burrow from follicle to follicle to eat the seed, resulting in 100% seed loss for infested spikes.