Kelp Fly Recording Scheme

  • Heads of the five Kelp Fly speciesTaxonomic Group (English): Kelp flies

  • Taxonomic Group (Scientific): Diptera: Coelopidae, Heterocheilidae and Helcomyzidae
  • Scheme Organiser: Donald Smith

This scheme was established in 2020 to promote the study and recording of five UK species in three families: three sandy coloured flies in different families - Malacomyia sciomyzina (Coelopidae), Heterocheila buccata (Heterocheilidae) and Helcomyza ustulata (Helcomyzidae) - and the two flat-backed darker species Coelopa frigida and C. pilipes (Coelopidae). These medium-sized flies can all be found on rotting piles of seaweed anywhere around the coastline of the British Isles.

Records for the scheme can be added to iRecord, or contact the scheme organiser direct to send spreadsheet records.

Useful resources

NEW: download a brief guide to the distinctive features of kelp fly heads.

Kelp fly photos on Flickr: