Cyrioides imperialis, commonly known as the banksia jewel beetle, is a species of beetle

Beetle

Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...

 in the family Buprestidae native to southeastern Australia. The Danish naturalist Johan Christian Fabricius

Johan Christian Fabricius

Johan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others...

 was the first to describe it in 1801, and it still bears its original name.

The adult measures 3.8 cm (1.5 in) long, and is a gold and black colour with an elongated body. Female beetles lay their eggs in the bark of a tree, after which the larvae hatch and tunnel into the wood. Several species of the genus Banksia

Banksia

Banksia is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads. When it comes to size, banksias range from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up...

, including B. serrata

Banksia serrata

Banksia serrata, commonly known as Old Man Banksia, Saw Banksia, Saw-tooth Banksia and Red Honeysuckle, is a species of woody shrub or tree of the genus Banksia in the Proteaceae family. Native the east coast of Australia, it is found from Queensland through to Victoria with outlying populations on...

, B. integrifolia

Banksia integrifolia

Banksia integrifolia, commonly known as Coast Banksia, is a species of tree that grows along the east coast of Australia. One of the most widely distributed Banksia species, it occurs between Victoria and Central Queensland in a broad range of habitats, from coastal dunes to mountains...

and B. marginata

Banksia marginata

Banksia marginata, commonly known as the Silver Banksia, is a species of tree or woody shrub in the plant genus Banksia found throughout much of southeastern Australia. It ranges from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, to north of Armidale, New South Wales, and across Tasmania and the islands...

are host plants for the larval and adult stages. Other adult host plants recorded include B. spinulosa

Banksia spinulosa

The Hairpin Banksia is a species of woody shrub, of the genus Banksia in the Proteaceae family, native to eastern Australia. Widely distributed, it is found as an understorey plant in open dry forest or heathland from Victoria to northern Queensland, generally on sandstone though sometimes also...

, Leptospermum polygalifolium

Leptospermum polygalifolium

Leptospermum polygalifolium, commonly known as tantoon, is a shrub species that is native to eastern Australia. It was first described by Salisbury in 1797. L. flavescens as described by Smith in 1797 is a junior synonym....

, and Isopogon

Isopogon

Isopogon is a genus of 35 species of mainly low-growing and prostrate perennial shrubs in the family Proteaceae endemic to Australia. They are found throughout Australia, though Western Australia has the greatest variety with 27 of the 35 species found there...

species.