Sanka, the reason (I believe) that your question hasn't been answered is that the image doesn't really show us all that much. But going by your verbal description, I'm going to guess that you've been seeing Boxelder Bugs. Do a google image search to compare with what you can see with your own eyes, and let us know.

We have something that looks just like that down here in Florida (Jadera sp.). It only lives and feeds on the golden rain tree. If you don't have one of those trees you don't have the bug, but if you do watch out. They invade every inch of your yard and become quite the pest. But I think they are only found down here in the south.

They appear to be what we call 'love bugs' (plecia nearctica)here in Fla. Never heard of them being so far north, but it was a warm summer. Here, they appear 2x a year- in May, and again in Sept./Oct.They are harmless to plants, but do secrete an acidic substance that can damage car finishes if left on too long.

Not lovebugs. If you enlarge this bad image, you can see that it's one of the "true bugs " and not of the order in which love bugs belong. I agree that these look very much like the coastal lovebugs ; I'm very familiar with them.

I suspect that if we could get a decent image, we'd see that these particular insects are boxelder bugs....which are making their presence very much known at this time of year.

I do believe that my guess that these are boxelder bugs is wrong. If I had read the posts more carefully, the light bulb would have gone off in my head. I think Ocalagirl is right....Goldenrain tree bugs. But she is wrong that those trees are a southern species...they reside very happily in chilly climates, too.

Good job, ocalagirl. The description of the seeds and husks went right over my head.

I have these same bugs in my yard, along with two trees that drop rabbit pellet-like seeds from their seed pods. The pods look like paper lanterns. I am in Southern California. Is there any way to get rid of thes bugs? I am not fond of the trees as they make a HUGE mess when they drop their leaves and their pods, but they do look nice 5 months out of the year. The rest of the year they are just long, bare trunks. I am being invaded by these insects! Can anyone offer any advice as to how to get rid of them? I don't want to use insecticides as I am in the process of planting raised vegetable beds in the vacinity.

Their host plant is the tree. Get rid of their food supply and you get rid of the bugs.

They are a nuisance, not a danger, and short of spraying the tree and yard repeatedly (bad idea), you have to live with them while they are active.

I've attached a pic of the boxelder bug. It is red and black. Try putting Palmolive dishsoap and water in a sprayer that can attach to your hose, and spray down where they like to land. We do not have a boxelder tree, but we do suffer the nuisance visits of the boxelder bugs. We also have the solid black bugs you have pictured, but I am not sure yet what they are.

If you look carefully at the original image, you'll see that they are not solid black. They have been identified as the Golden rain tree bug or the red-shouldered bug.

If you'd like to take some good images of your insect, we might be able to help you with an ID.