Jewel Beetle
Click to enlarge image
Banksia Jewel Beetle, Cyria imperialis
Image: CSIRO
© CSIRO
© CSIRO
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Family
- Buprestidae
- Super Family
- Buprestoidea
- Suborder
- Polyphaga
- Order
- Coleoptera
- Class
- Insecta
- Subphylum
- Uniramia
- Phylum
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Number of Species
- 1,200
-
- Size Range
- 3 mm- 75 mm
Introduction
Jewel beetles belong to the family Buprestidae, which is a large group with about 1,200 species in Australia.
Identification
Jewel beetles are often brightly coloured, with some species having a metallic sheen that makes them popular with collectors.
Jewel Beetles (Family Buprestidae)
Image: Bruce Hulbert© Bruce Hulbert
Habitat
Jewel beetles live in forests and woodlands, heath. Many are found in the Sydney region and can be seen feeding on and flying around flowers in heaths and woodlands. The larvae live in wood or, more rarely, softer plant stems, with some species feeding in dry leaves.
Distribution
Jewel beetles are found throughout Australia.
Economic impacts
On other continents, jewel beetles have been used in clothing, decorative boxes, sculptures and even religious shrines.
