Pollen beetles - Meligethes species - Blómbjöllur - Svartar agnarsmáar bjöllur að frjóvga Senecio blóm. Brandbikar - Brachyglottis 'Sunshine' senecio. A tough little evergreen shrub with oval, hairy, grey leaves and cheerful, bright yellow, daisy-like flowers in June and July. It's drought tolerant and forms a natural mound. Try it with other silver-leaved plants or as part of a Mediterranean scheme or as a groundcover for a sunny, well-drained site. It's particularly suitable for coastal gardens as it stands up well to strong winds and salt-laden air. See more: [ Ссылка ]

Meligethes aeneus is an abundant pollen beetle in the United Kingdom. The name now is regarded as being a synonym of Brassicogethes aeneus. See more: [ Ссылка ]

Pollen beetles are small black beetles that visit the flowers of a wide range of ornamental plants and vegetables, where they feed on pollen. Pollen beetles are about 2-3mm long and are black or greenish bronze with small clubbed antennae. They crawl around in flowers as they feed on the pollen. Common species are Meligethes aeneus and Meligethes viridescens, both of which breed in the flowers buds of brassica seed crops, including oilseed rape. None of the 36 species of pollen beetle in Britain cause damage to garden plants in their larval stages. They all develop in the flower buds of wild flowers or agricultural crops. The adult beetles are much less fussy about the flowers they visit and they eat the pollen of a wide range of plants. Yellow flowers seem to be particularly attractive to them. Pollen beetles are not directly harmful to the blooms and they may assist with pollination. Pollen beetles overwinter as adults that hide away in sheltered places. They emerge in spring and can often be found in narcissus flowers at that time. The females lay eggs in the flower buds of suitable host plants, which are various wild flowers and some agricultural crops, such as oil seed rape and other brassicas grown for seed. No garden flowers or vegetables are damaged in this way. See more: [ Ссылка ]

This is a small black beetle with a metallic brassy or blue-green sheen. There are several very similar pollen beetles but Meligethes aeneus is the most common, particularly early in the year. They are attracted to yellow flowers and indeed most things yellow, including clothing and tennis balls. They occur in large numbers, feeding mainly on pollen but sometimes gnawing on the flower parts. They are an important pollinator. See more: [ Ссылка ]

Lots of these little black beetles were on coltsfoot blossoms, plunging their heads down deep into the flower. See more: [ Ссылка ]

David Rudwick - Gardens and Greenhouse at work - West Lavington. horticulture

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