Insect and Spider Identification: CLOSED: Ivy-eating insect ID please, 1 by ozarkie

ozarkie wrote:
I noticed hundreds, if not thousands, of these insects devouring a patch of English Ivy. In approximately two days, they had stripped the leaves off a patch about 6' by 20'. I only noticed them the second day when most of the leaves were gone and they were scurring around all over the remaining leaves. The only thing left on most of the leaves was a skeleton of the main leaf veins. I've NEVER seen anything eat like them. All other naturally occuring and planted leafy plants around the house were untouched...only the ivy was eaten. The bugs are black, have two "wings" and about 1/2" to 3/4" long (they never flew, just ran when disturbed). A quick spray of insecticide immediately killed those present.