Have you spotted these tiny black beetles on your washing? Here's what they are

An influx of the little critters have been landing in gardens across Yorkshire with people taking to social media asking what they are.

But don't worry, even though they are a nuisance, they are completely harmless.

They are in-fact pollen beetles and their population expands during prolonged spells of warm weather, so it's no surprise they are making an appearance now temperatures are on the up.

Pollen beetles migrate into crops from late April to feed on pollen. They start to fly at temperatures of above 15C.

They are attracted to bright colours, which explains why they may have been paying particular attention to your clothing.

Pollen beetles are typically common near rape seed fields, and as their name suggests, they feed on pollen.

They can't harm humans, animals or garden plants and there is no effective means of controlling their numbers.

So if you see them swarming your washing line, there isn't much you can do other than shake them off!