Insect ID please

[Georgie]

This morning I noticed over 50 little black beetles huddled together on a leaf on my Ipomoea.  They looked like tiny ladybirds.  They were only a couple of mm long with shiny black 'shells' with numerous yellow/pink spots.  They were simply too tiny/too high up to get a decent photo, any idea what they might be?

G x

[Georgie]

[Georgie]

I've managed to get a picture today.  Sorry, it's not very good.  G x

[cambourne7]

Hi

I think there flea beetles because of the size and leg position.

Google it and you should find a match.

c7

[triffid]

Could they be one of our littler ladybird species? It's hard for me to guess at their size but there are dark ladybirds with pale spots.

Have a look here...

http://www.harlequin-survey.org/recognition_and_distinction.htm

(click on download the ladybird identification sheet)

[Georgie]

Hmmm, C7, I can't find a match to flea beetle using Google - none seem to have spots. 

Thanks Triffid but none of those pictures match either.  As I said, these are tiny, only about 2mm long, with numerous distinctive yellow spots. 

G x

[jennym]

14 spot ladybird, by the looks of it?
http://www.harlequin-survey.org/downloads/Ladybird%20descriptions_Info%20pack_NEW_v.5.pdf

[Georgie]

Could well be, Jenny, but I still can't find a picture to match.  As I've said, these are black with yellow spots and so tiny.

G x

[Barnowl]

I think they are the same as we had - not ladybirds: please see this thread.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/smf/index.php/topic,24801.0.html

[Georgie]

Spot on, Barnowl, thank you so much.  :D

G x