The larvae of benthic organisms settle on the substrate suitable for their development and growth. Presently it is not well known how larvae of foulers find suitable substratum located on particular depth and habitat. I have hypothesized that the selection of habitat by invertebrate larvae is a multistage process. Each stage of it increases the probability of the selection of suitable substrate. A field and laboratory experiments in White Sea (Russia, Kandalakshsky Gulf, Chupa Bay) examined the vertical distribution of larvae, the influence of microhabitats on substrate selection and the influence of substratum features on settlement of larvae. Using plankton hauls and plankton traps I found that the vertical distribution of larvae mussel Mytilus edulis and barnacle Semibalanus balanoides in the water column is related to competency for settlement. Competent larvae selected the preferred depth horizon where they settled. The selection of the depth was realized by a change of taxis and kinesis of larvae. Field experiments showed that larvae of M. edulis not settled homogeneously in different microhabitats. These microhabitats were monospecific assemblages of one of the following species: the brown algae Laminaria saccharina, Fucus vesiculosus and Chorda tomentos, the green filamentous algae Cladophora rupestris, and mussel M. edulis. Larvae select specific microhabitat with suitable substrate. In laboratory experiments I found that homogenates of these algae and mussels and microfouling film from them have a repulsive and attractive effect on larvae. Thus, the macroorganisms and microorganisms control settlement on their surfaces and on their vicinity by exuded metabolites. The simultaneous effect of some physical (the roughness, the wettability, the color) and biological (the microfouling film) features of substrate to the settlement of larvae M. edulis and Obelia loveni was studied on the polystyrene plates (5 x 7 cm). Experiments showed that surface attributes effected one another independently. The main surface features can be arranged in the following sequence according to their increasing influence: color, roughness, microfouling film, wettability. The main role of wettability of substrate was determined. In summary, our investigation showed that selection of habitat by larvae consisted of four stages: selection of horizon, selection of microhabitat, selection of substrate, and the site for attachment.