[Hilary]

I saw this lurking in the Hoya this morning and had seen it another day more or less in the same place.
Does anyone know what it is?

[David Bracey]

Hilary there are many red and black beetles.  Your pics are a bit hazy however it is either the Gendarme beetle, Pyrrhocoris apterus or the Tropidothorax leucopterus beetle.

[Hilary]

Many thanks.
It is still there but very shy of having its photo taken
From reading about the two beetles you mention it doesn't seem to be harmful either to plants or humans.
Do they eat Aphids or would the swallows like it for supper?

[David Bracey]

Perhaps the swallows swallow them for supper.

[oron peri]

By the markings i think it is Spilostethus pandorus .
Some of these bugs can cause sever gamage to bulbous plants as often the new generation apear by the hundreds even thousands on certain plants, during early winter.
Other species from this group are less harmful, as they apear in small numbers and are fed on Compositae etc,.  

[Hilary]

Many thanks.
The markings seem to match spilostethus pandurus as you say.
It was in hiding this morning  but if I see it this evening I will throw it to the swallows