CLOSED: Flower Bugs

What are these small black bugs in my Calendula? I also saw them in my gourd flower.

Hard to say but they look like Thrips.

i have those too, little tiny beetle things, they like my calendulas and my centaureas too

I didn't notice these until today. They weren't there yesterday... :/ I don't have any of these in my 'Touch of Buff' Calendulas or Centaureas.

Not thrips. Flower beetles, but not Scarabaeidae. Maybe something in Melooidea - sorry, not too familiar with that superfamily, esp. Eur., and don't have many resources.

On the bright side Evert, it appears that they're feeding off the flower's pollen, and may even pollinate it for you. If the petals are still there tomorrow, then no worries :)

:) I hope they do... I want to save this variety, it is called 'Honeymoon'. The petals are bright yellow and lighter on the edges.

Ahhh yes the pollen beetle, Thanks Lophophora. Not particularly good for Oilseed crops but not a high priority insect either.

http://www.globalfarmers.com/news/images/pollenbeetle280302.jpg

Baa - I perform a low and respectful bow in your general direction.

"The High Baa, Chief Poobah of All Zoographic Taxonomists at DG"

You can see I'm seething with jealosy :) :)
(How'd you find that link? I searched for hours!!!!!!)

All cheques gratefully received ;)

When I read your post I remembered I'd answered a question on Oilseed Rape (Canola) yesterday and the name pollen beetle from endless arable lectures popped up from the brain fluff. So I just typed in pollen beetle and up it came. I reckon all those boring hours making paper balls and throwing them at friendly, beaming faces, armed to the teeth with sharper balls of paper during lectures was worth it after all LOL.

Hahahahhahhehehehehehhheheheheheheh! (Longhand for "ROTFL".)

Baa, you're too much!

(And the check is in the mail.... next Tuesday...:)

Baa & Lophophora, I love "reading" you two.

They are so fun aren't they?

Yeah.... Baa, can I come sometimes to drop water filled plastic bags from your window with ya? *G*

***

Lophophora

Something tells me not to hold my breath on that one *G*

Evert

Anytime, as long as your mom doesn't call me up to tell me I'm a bad influence!

:D

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