Anything that comes to hand can be turned into a fly!
Coffee bean beetles, teabag sedges, condom nymphs, pubic hair etc.
I have heard of floating patterns using Pistachio shells, a beetle was the one I saw with the shell cut, sanded, dyed and varnished to form the wing covers of a beetle about to take flight with Organza as the actual wing below the covers. The Pistachio shell was sanded thin to reduce weight for casting, very bouyant when sealed.