By Bobbyj
United Kingdom 
help please. our garden is overrun with little black flying beetles they are all over the plants, all over our house outside walls, and flying around outside (Its an old cottage with yellow walls) and when we go outside they are all over us. thete are thousands of them and we have no idea what to do, the problem is so bad we cannot go outside.
9 Jun, 2011
Answers
Hi there,
I agree with Bernard, I've always known them as pollen beetles, I expect they are the same, and man do they love the colour yellow!!!!!
I took my kids on a nature walk last spring and my daughter took a bright yellow bag, I think she ran most of the way, flinging her arms around.
Happy gardening.
9 Jun, 2011
yes i think both are right up here we call em fruit flies.and the little sods like white aswell.
9 Jun, 2011
We have them here also from the farmer's field nearby. I have found that it's white they are attracted to...especially when the washing is out!!!
9 Jun, 2011
I am sure you are suffering from an invasion of Rape beetles and if I'm right, the only cure is to change the colour of your house! I made the mistake some years ago when I visited a garden wearing a yellow jumper and in no time at all I was smothered in the beetles and sure enough there was a field of Rape nearby. You might need a second opinion before re-painting your house, but if the beetles disappear when the Rape is harvested (is there a crop of Rape nearby?) you can be pretty sure this is the problem.
9 Jun, 2011