AusBonsai

Can anyone confirm these buggers for me
Harlequin beetles?
They are everywhere and heaps of them too.
How can I get rid of them?
Blokes at nursery told me they are harmless but I have found them eating fruit and vegetables in the veggie patch.
Cheers
Anth

I know these as push-me-pull-you bugs - because of the way they mate (see the 2 pairs in the picture)

I have just found that the correct name is Pyrrhocorid and there are several hundred species worldwide. A number of them are pests of fruit and grain so these ones probably do eat your fruit and other plants.
They can really breed up some years but do disappear eventually and may or may not recur the following year. I believe that they are pretty hard to control.

Hi

These beetles almost killed my passion fruit tree a few years ago. There were hundreds of them. Ever since then, I've tried to control them with pesticide and keep them away from my bonsai and starters.
I don't like using pesticides as I have other pets in the yard but they seem pretty hardy and the chickens do not eat them.

Correct that they are harlequins - we get them but they generally keep away from my bonsai so I don't worry about them. There is a harmless mix to get rid of them that is vinegar, a drop of detergent and something else?? I will get in touch with a friend who told me the recipe originally???

OK, chased up my friend - the eco friendly mix - 1/5 white vinegar, 1/5 detergent, 3/5 warm water and spray away. Works well.