Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

Hello,

Whilst walking out in the South Downs a lot of these little black bugs kept getting onto my arms, I think by jumping or falling from bushes. I was wondering if anybody knew that they were?

Very small, quite long compared to their width, black, and there was a lot of them.

Springtail or some sort of countryside louse?

I think they could be pollen beetles Hugo,they are a problem this time of year and if there are any oil seed rape fields around and they are harvesting it the air is usualy full of them

Pollen Beatles can be quite a problem on warm sunny days around here (There's a lot of Oil Seed Rape grown in the East Midlands). They're attracted particularly to white or yellow so it's often wise if going for a walk in the countryside on a warm sunny day to wear dark clothing.