An insect first

Not the first time I have seen this beetle, but the species does have the distinction of being the first scientifically described insect in Australia, after Joseph Banks found it when collecting at Botany Bay, when he landed there in 1770 with lieutenant James Cook.

It is commonly called the Botany Bay Diamond Weevil or Diamond Beetle (Chrysolopus spectabilis) and is found throughout much of eastern Australia. It inhabits areas where Acacia species that are the main food source are found. The photo does not fully capture the brightness of the metallic blue/green markings that make this insect hard to miss.