These are pollen beetles. They don't eat the flowers, just the pollen and are one of the main types of insect pollinator for all sorts of summer flowers.

Extraordinary - we never had one query re pollen beetles last year, and this year we've had loads already. Must be excessive numbers this year for some reason.

I never had one beetle last year, or ever actually! This year they are everywhere in my garden :o(

I agree Bamboo odd!

Yes, absolutely loads of them at the minute. Even had a concerned customer bring some into the garden centre. I convinced them that they are just eating the high protein pollen for food (and pollinating).

I wonder what eats pollen beetles, because whatever it is, it must be down in numbers in this year.

They are mainly eaten by other beetles I think, predatory Carabid Beetles and the like....it's a beetle-eat-beetle world out there!

So are we lower one Carabid beetles this year then Ilex?

Maybe so...or it could just be that the warm/dry weather has allowed lots more of the pollen beetle larvae to survive to adulthood this year.

We certainly aren't bothered with them here but it hasn't been particularly hot or dry.

I must say we haven't had any more that usual here either MG....they are always about but no more so this year than any other, but there do seem to be a lot of enquiries about them on GOY right now.

Maybe a local phenomenon. Anyone wearing a bright yellow high viz jacket at work has them making a bee line to them and get covered in minutes.

This reminds me actually, when I was a kid there used to be a tiny grey weevil (4mm and tiny curved snout to match) not much bigger than these pollen beetles that took flight very easily. When you gently held it between thumb and forefinger it made a faint, but high pitched squeaking sound. Some sort of stridulation I guess. Had forgotten about it until now. Never did find out which species it was. Probably some obscure gall maker....