Xeris is a genus of Horntail (Siricidea). Xeris spectrum is a mostly black species with yellow spots on the sides of the prothorax, and partly yellowish-red legs. The female is armed with a long ovipositor, but is actually harmless to man, the ovipostor serving only for laying eggs. Xeris spectrum is distributed over most of Europe, Siberia, China and Japan and is between 15 and 30 mm long. They are mostly found in pine woods where the adults fly on warm, sunny days. The larvae feed on the cellulose of wood, taking between two and three years to develop, and are often introduced into buildings through timber. Research Xeris
 
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