In this video, Dave shares the results from our study with the USDA. The purpose of the study was to see what type of repellent would keep away Houdini flies, without affecting the Mason bees. If you have thoughts on Houdini flies and how to best repel them, please email info@crownbees.com.
The Houdini fly is considered a kleptoparasite. Kleptoparasites are thieves, meaning they steal food or prey from other animals. For bees, most Kleptoparasites lay their eggs inside bee nests. Once the Houdini Fly eggs hatch, the larval parasites eat the pollen loaves intended for immature bees and sometimes will even eat the developing bees in the process.
The Houdini fly (Cacoxenus indagator) is thought to be an example of sending Mason bees from Europe without carefully inspecting the nests before the move. The first documented sighting of the Houdini fly in the United States was in New York in 2011. Since then, they have spread across the country, with the first documented sighting in Washington state in 2019. However, Mason beekeepers have reported they found Houdini fly maggots in their Mason bee nests many years before 2019. Unfortunately, the Houdini fly is now believed to be permanently established in Washington.
Pro-Tip: Only share clean, harvested cocoons.
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8 окт 2024
