Noon Fly vs Seaweed Fly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Noon Fly Seaweed Fly
Scientific Name Mesembrina meridiana Coelopa frigida
Order Diptera Diptera
Family Muscidae Coelopidae
Size 10-13mm 5-8 mm
Habitat Farmland Beaches & Coastal
Diet Dung Feeders Detritivores
Regions Europe North Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Noon Fly

A large stocky black fly with bright orange wing bases. It basks in sunshine on walls and fences at midday.

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Did You Know?

Named for its habit of basking in the midday sun, often sitting motionless on warm surfaces around noon.

Seaweed Fly

A coastal fly whose larvae develop in rotting seaweed wrack on beaches. It forms massive swarms on strandlines that can annoy beachgoers.

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Did You Know?

It is a model organism for studying sexual selection because larger males win more mating contests.