Well, I'd have said they're lily beetle.

I saw a lot in my garden today they were with a lot of wasps on the Golden Rod and I assumed they were the scarlet lily beetle? and felt very down as I have never come across them before and have never had a problem with my lillies.
Perhaps someone can positively identify them for us?

Hi Beattie, I have just had a look on RHS website this is their description:
"Adults are 8mm long, bright red with a black head and legs."
Although size is about right, they are not bright red, more a reddy/orange, no black head and legs. They are the same colour as the body.
But I will bow to your superior knowledge :) Damn!...knew I should have squished them. I don't have any lillies but I do have fritillaria. Do you know what other plants they attack Beattie?

There is also a red headed cardinal beetle Drc...have google imaged and it is not quite the same either.
It is the wee black bit on the end of the wings that is making look different.
Other websites describe the lily beetle as shiny and red but describe the cardinal beetle as red or orange.
The fact that I can't tell the difference between beetles is why I am a postwoman and not an entomologist :)
I don't want to kill them if they are good!

I am keeping my fingers crossed Scottish because it was very slender and small and a sort of dull orange and was not on the lillies.

Think I've found it.....The common red soldier beetle, Rhagonycha fulva

This is what wikipedia has to say on them:
The common red soldier beetle will grow up to a centimetre. Nearly all their body is coloured red yellowish. Only the last bit of the elytra is black. The body is flat and elongated. The chitin armour is very soft, resulting in the German name of this species as Weichkäfer (meaning "soft beetle"). The black thread-like antennae are also relatively long. The equally long legs have an orange colour, which become notably darker only at the end.

This beetle is very common in Europe and Anatolia. Introduced to North America, it is well-established in British Columbia and Quebec and recently recorded in Ontario[1]. One will find it very often in bushes or on grass and fields.

These beetles are active during the daylight hours, when they will hunt mostly for small insects on top of flowers.

Fairly often one will find many of them on Apiaceae or Asteraceae like thistles.

After copulation the females will lay her eggs. The larvae are soil-dwellers which hunt for snails and insects. After a year and several moults the larvae will pupate and then emerge as fully grown beetles

Have google imaged and I think they look exactly the same...too me!!!
Apparently they like a bit of hanky panky which is exactly what they are doing in picture 3 :))

Here's hoping someone else will either agree or disagree and get some clarification.

If the larvae hunt for snails then "come on in, my friends!!" I have seen quite a lot of these beetles in my garden but hadn't bothered to find out what they were. Now I know, I'll be laying out directions and flight paths! :o)))))))

i know it is not lily beetle

they are indeed the common red soldier beetle. usually found july/august when the adults emerge from their larval stage. the eat lots of insects drink nectar and mate before dieing end of the summer.
they are definetly a friend. the larva also attack small soil inverts especially those pesky small slugs thta we can never find amongst out hostas.

definitely a keeper.

prefered flowers are the umbellifera type like achillea, angellica and the more open single daisy types.

I wonder how many have been squished mistaken for lily beetle?

Not lily beetle. We get them in our gardenbut I never knew the name.

Glad you put this photo on Scottish and thanks everyone, That has really made my day what about you Scottish?

Thanks for your detecting skills, Scottish. :-) Definitely friends. I shall not squish!

We used to call them "blood suckers", I know not why!

That why they were familiar Cammomile, that's what we called them as kids, I had completely forgotten.

So did I. I suppose it was because of their colour.

I think they use to cling to our arms in the lane on the way to school? Wonder why there seem so many this year?

I am very happy Drc... we used to call the big fat huge earthworms bloodsuckers and throw them at each other :)
Beattie....Take it you have been squishing before? tsk, tsk....lol!
Yes SBG, can you imagine how many others have been squishing thinking they were lily beetles :(
I think we are all over the moon that these wee beasties are friends. I was googling for ages in the early hours this morning.
Was soooooooooo pleased to see that the larvae eat the nasties.
Believe it or not guys, Mr and Mrs Rhagonycha were still at it at lunchtime today....thats over 24 hours....no wonder they die, after that marathon. So long as she has laid plenty tiny little eggs, I'm happy.
Thanks every one else for their info and input - a happy ending :)

I am too squeamish to squash anything Scottish.

The only things I can't squash is the slugs and snails, they give me the heebie geebies just thinking about it.......yuk!
I have a paint kettle which I put some salt into the bottom and use kitchen tongs (bought especially for the job) to drop them in. Probably cruel, but can do it any other way.

:))