Isn’t it amazing how much you can learn when you write a blog post?

I’m still waiting expectantly for my Echiums to flower. I posted about them a week or so ago. Today, they are slowly developing more and more tiny flowers. So I thought I’d take a photo to record their progress.

Imagine my delight at finding a pretty red bug.

Actually, if you look closer there are two bugs. They are stuck together copulating. Apparently, the larger female drags the smaller male around. They are Harlequin bugs (Dindymus versicolour) and until today I thought they were harmless.

I read today that they are sap suckers, and can be harmful to flower buds and fruit, especially to apples and other soft fruit.

I’m not sure if I’m fascinated or revolted. I think I might start trying to elimate them, before too many of them breed.