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In the Orange Groves

23K views 50 replies 25 participants last post by  dback 
#1 ·
Thanks to some help from Jeff Miller of DC Honeybees, and Steve Buyers of Bee healthy Honey Farms, we moved our colonies onto the Orange Groves in Fellsmere Florida. We are the only ones on 4000 acres of citrus. It has been an exhausting four days of traveling, inspecting, supering, etc. and we got back yesterday morning about 3:00 a.m. All went well until the last mile when we lost our Kubota on the trailer with pallet forks. Looks like it might be a total loss. No one was hurt however. I am including some photos. Land lot Grass
Beekeeper Apiary Insect Bee Grass
Beekeeper Apiary Insect Bee Grass
Windshield Road Automotive exterior Windscreen wiper Vehicle
Windshield Road Automotive exterior Windscreen wiper Vehicle
Land lot Grass
 
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#33 ·
Even though I never use them, I agree w/ toad about the staples. Especially since you went thru and inspected the hives soon before loading and transporting. I nail my lids down too. Spreader boards help to hold the load down to the deck of the trailer, instead of pulling everything into the middle.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Mark, you actually nail down the covers? Have you had any weakening of the boxes, tops as a result of repeated nailing?I know I need a Skid Steer and it seems as we are growing that I really do need to invest in my infrastructure.

Also, I am retired law enforcement. I have dealt with far worse un-diplomatic comments, writings, and statements. No worries.
 
#35 ·
:)
Aha, so you know how to talk to VA State Troopers. That explains things. ;)

My covers are sheets of plywood. Most migratorys I know don't nail down covers. Though I have seen some really big operations that do. They use the same nail hole in the cover each time. Boxes don't deterierate that fast. From my experience.
 
#37 ·
I use 2 deck screws in my covers so the threads bite each time (just don't spin the screw by over tightening our it's all over). I use a dewalt cordless and go from pallet to pallet when I first get to the yard and loosen everything up and give them a little smoke at the same time.

Matt: how do I apply for one of those plates!? Ha Ha! ;)
 
#40 ·
I don't know who that could have been or why they would have said that. Because I am not. Niether retired or an ex-State Trooper. I did play Officer Krupkie in my High School's production of West Side Story. That's as close as I ever came to being a Policeman and wearing a uniform.

Maybe they were talking about Joel.
 
#42 ·
Matt.....

We move 3-500 hives nightly from just after almonds until the first part of Nov. so we have some experience at it. There are as many (successful) ways of loading/tying down and transporting bees as there are beekeepers. I often unload for other folks in the almonds so I get to see how others do it also. We do not use hive staples, bands, smoke, nails and I hate "W" clips. I expect two of my guys with a single forklift to load, net and tie down a semi (556, weight allowing, 8 frame) in 1 1/2 hour. We lift stacks of 3 or 4 pallets high at a time (again, weight allowing)......this is not something you can do with your tractor. If you look for a skidsteer.....only do it if you can get it set up like Benstung has his....with mast and 5th wheel, otherwise look for a reasonable swinger (my opinion).

It is important to have all of your pallets level.....all doubles, triples or singles but not on the same pallet. Our equipment is all exactly the same.....4 way pallets have two "stringers" that hold the (cleated) tops of the hives below in place when loaded. This only works if you are level. I hate "W" clips for two reasons......first, the "space" collects 'mulch' = retained moisture = prematurely rotted boxes. Secondly, we tie loads down from front to back with 2" straps....one strap per row of hives tightened like a banjo string.....you can't do that using "W" clips due to the "space" between hives so we use only "U" clips. Tarp is a negatory (I'd be surprised if you told me yours made it to Florida)....get a good net made for your trailer.......we tie down over the net, v-boards front and back and for longer trips we use a few v-boards on the sides with two straps per v-board but not nearly as tight. Locally.....we use the 4 straps and nothing else......no v-boards, net or side straps. We tie down semi's the same way except 4" straps instead of 2". Loads must be as level as possible!!!!!!!!!

This is how we do it.....it works for us. I've seen it done lots of ways and I have reasons I don't do it that way. Maybe some of this will be useful to you. Also .... we don't break hives apart just prior to shipping and we give them a day to settle before working them after the move.........just my 2 cents.
 
#50 ·
I enjoyed reading your post Larry until I looked up at the time of night you wrote it:eek: well after 8 pm.cant believe an old codger like you could make it to the computer that time of night. all the other beeks here in AZ tell me that you and the Live Tiny sorus Rex you have had since a child went to bed early... Cya in CA in a couple weeks and Its my turn to buy ...cya:lookout:
 
#43 ·
That's a pretty good synopsis for moving bees dback. Not much to add or take issue with (I won't get into the W clip argument). I use a 20' bed and go 5 single pallets high when distributing pallets into smaller summer locations. After an incident where I dropped into a deep pothole and severely shifted the load I began to always keep a cross strap on the back pallet and another over a middle pallet on top of the front to back straps. They serve to not only give you more stability in rough terrain but also to hold the front to back straps in place when you loosen them to remove another row. It saves the aggravation of having them slip down between the pallets (I hate it when that happens) particularly in windy conditions.
 
#44 ·
Mark you were a state bee inspector right? maybe that is why someone thought you were a policeman. This is an interesting post about transporting hives and stuff. I have never driven a rig .. One time a large uhaul truck... or even a forklift so I am impressed that you guys can use that equipment and stuff. It's really cool. I know it is dangerous to be in trucking. I have seen several wrecks over the years on the interstate.


Is there a bunch of legal paperwork to move hives across state lines. How could an inspector look through all of those bees?
 
#45 ·
dback I have been told the same by some of the commercial folks about the W clips. But then they also stated when they pull into inspection at CA going for the almonds that the inspectors sure like it when they can look between the hive boxes and see clean spaces in the W clips and they pick everything apart when they see a load of U-clips pull up.
Sounds more like a governed thing??
I use U clips myself and have really been debating about going with the W's, but I sure like running my straps front to back and cranking everything down tight and not have to worry about the load or boxes sliding.
I must also say though that I am a small fry sideliner and do not have the experience that the commercial folks do that are on this forum and I do not run big trucks just small 1 ton trucks.
 
#46 ·
I have a wooden deck on my truck and trailer. When I lost my barrels of honey they were on a steel deck and I wasn't smart enuf to have cardboard under them and then there was that left turn I took fast from a stop. I really recommend a wood deck or a composite deck. It's really hard on the bottoms of pallets to try to slide shift a pallet of beehives on the steel deck of a semi.

Yes, virginiawolf, I was an Apiary Inspector. Maybe that's the source of confusion. No badge or uniform. Only a hat w/ the State Ag and Mkts Logo on it.
 
#51 ·
Smart butt kids......lucky for you it was digital....had it been analog, you'd still be trying to figure out the time :D

If someone has the time and techno wizardry...in the time it takes to eat a slice of pizza at Flying J you could get pics of ten different loads and show how they tie down.....might be interesting.
 
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