The introduction of houdini flies poses an existential threat to the stability of the solitary BEE industry and the livelihoods of orchard managers

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $180,000 to the University of California, Davis on May 1, 2026 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Project Grant program (CFDA 10.310) to conduct research on Houdini fly infection dynamics and dispersion capability in solitary bees.

The research addresses a knowledge gap regarding Houdini flies, which pose an existential threat to solitary bee industry stability and orchard manager livelihoods. UC Davis will undertake a hierarchical series of approaches to understand infection dynamics and dispersion capability, with findings intended to contribute to management practices and bolster solitary bee populations for beekeepers and orchard managers. The work aligns with the AFRI Farm Bill priority area of Plant Health and Production and Plant Products.

Work is performed at Davis, California, with period of performance from May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2029. This is a Project Grant, a form of assistance funding distinct from procurement contracting.

To date there are no published studies on houdini flies in their introduced range. We must understand houdini fly infection dynamics and dispersion capability to contribute meaningfully to management practices and bolster solitary BEE populations beekeepers and orchard managers. This project aims to address this knowledge GAP and the afri farm bill priority area plant health and production and plant products through a hierarchical series of approaches.