Gendarme!

Beautiful Karen!

Thank you, Lil!:))
Do you call these 'firebugs'? I'm infested with them but they don't seem to do any harm...

Too decorative for a stag beetle I expect.Are they only in the garden?

Yes, thankfully! And all over the hollyhocks, malva and blue sage...Quite often 'stuck together', if you know what I mean...
I think they just eat the seeds, though...
That's a hollyhock seedpod it's on

Wow!
Does Gendarme translate to POLIS!!!

Aye! Armed Polis! Not, 'afloat in a dirty big boat!!)' though...
(hope you get this, Scottish...otherwise I'll have to remember more Andy Stewart....)

that's a cracking photo K, very nice..

No idea what this is Karen. I don't think I've seen them before.

Looks like a large ladybird squashed flat lol :o)))

I'm sure they're not just here...!...or maybe they are...

I never came across them before...
called 'Gendarmes'...eat seeds...

Wow No seen ony Polis like thon here!
Looks like an African mask..its an omen!!!!!! ;)

Lol, Pixi think you're right.

Karen...a dinnae ken ony Andy Stewart...did he sing I love a lassie....?

Extraordinary bug! I got something similar only it's green!

Think so..only one I remember coz Mum had it was The Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre lol she used to play it at high speed and I thought it was hilarious!

Haha! It does look like an African mask!

Lulu...we have green bugs too...sort of look like a shield?
...and smell really bad when in danger!

Pixi and Scottish...I was quoting the last line from that iconic (lol!) Scottish song...Cambeltown Loch, I wish you were whisky!...:)))

I will be nice to them in that case Karen!!

Hoho, Lulu...I got it on my finger once...and it wasn't nice! :))