Insect identification - California

[cmac2012]

Anybody recognize this critter? We’ve got a bunch of them swarming a bush in our backyard, happily mating away.

At first we thought maybe termites, some termites are about the right color, but termites have their wings more exposed. These have sort of a darkish blue-black shell like a beetle that covers the wings when they’re not flying. But they look skinnier than most beetles. They’re about a half an inch long.