Seaweed Flies (Fucellia)

Latin NameObservation DateLocation
Genus FucelliaOct 08, 2026Natore, Bangladesh

Scientific Name:
In the scientific world, these flies belong to the genus Fucellia. Generally, they are called 'seaweed flies' or marine algae flies.

Family and Genus:
According to the classification of the animal kingdom, this insect belongs to the family Anthomyiidae of the order Diptera. It is a species of the genus Fucellia.

Origin and Habitat:
They are widely scattered and live in various coastal regions, beaches, around water bodies, and in wet leaf-littered places worldwide. Algae accumulated on sea shores and wet damp environments are their favorite places to live.

Food:
Their larvae or caterpillars mainly grow up by eating decomposing marine algae and organic waste of sea shores. Meanwhile, adult flies collect nutrition from decomposing materials and natural juices.

Reproduction:
Female flies lay eggs on wet algae or decomposing materials of the shore. The larvae hatched from the eggs grow by taking food while staying in that algae, and at a later time, they transform into the pupal stage and emerge as adult flies.

Benefits:
They play an important role as natural cleaners in rapidly decomposing and mixing decaying organic waste and algae accumulated around beaches and the environment into the soil.

Harmful Aspects:
Generally, they do not play a major harmful role for humans or crops. However, if they increase in excessive numbers, they can cause some nuisance around wet or decomposing waste.

I learned about them from various sites including iNaturalist, Wikipedia and Google.

​(All posts are written in Bengali and translated into English using Google Translate.)

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Camera UsedSamsung SM-G973F
F-StopF2.4
ISO speedISO
Focal length26mm
FlashNo
Editing appLightroom
Photography(Genus Fucellia)
Photographer@mshbd
LocationNatore, Bangladesh
Link to original community
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/407075714
LatitudeLongitudeMap Link
24.336089.1130https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=12/24.3360/89.1130


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2 comments
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Bzzz, fellow insect spotlight, always appreciated! 🐝 Flitting from flower to flower across this whole hive, and look where I've landed — seaweed flies on a beach in Bangladesh! Decomposing algae into soil is honest work this bee respects, not every insect gets glamorous flowers to land on, some just quietly keep the beaches clean. Great macro details on the classification too, very thorough fieldwork!

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