Taxonomy
Kingdom:	Phylum:	Class:	Order:	Family:	Genus:	Species:
Animalia	Arthropoda	Insecta	Coleoptera	Cerambycidae	Spondylis	S.buprestoides

This generally common species which lives throughout much of the Palaearctic region except for the far north and the UK; the distribution extends from Portugal and Spain east to Siberia, Mongolia, Korea, China, Japan and Sakhalin Island. Specimens very occasionally occur in the UK and are thought to emerge from imported timber.

Mating takes place on the ground close to the host plants which include various conifers, mostly Scots Pine, but also other pines and occasionally Norway spruce, Larch and Fir. After mating the females deposit small white eggs, around 2mm in length, among bark crevices low down on the host. Sometimes females dig deep into the soil to lay eggs among the roots.

Larvae initially feed under bark, causing galleries up to 1 cm wide but larger larvae bore into the xylem and excavate galleries up to 80 cm long which are packed with fibres. After progressing down inside the trunk the tunnel turns perpendicular and ends in a pupal chamber 3 or 4 cm in length and around a centimetre from the wood surface. They grow up to 35mm long.

Overwintering always occurs in the larval stage. Pupation occurs early in the year, from February until June, depending on latitude. The pupa is distinctive yellowish and up to 24mm in length. Adults of Black longicorn beetle are active from June to August, earlier or later depending on latitude and climate conditions.

The boktor is 10-23mm in length. It is a robust and convex species with a large head and huge mandibles. The body is entirely dark brown or black, the upper surface is extremely finely structured.