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Going to the Orange Blossom

18K views 77 replies 17 participants last post by  Mbeck 
#1 ·
I decided to start a thread about my first experience going to Orange Groves.
I'll try to share photos thoughout the process and share what I think I've learned.
It should be interesting to read in a couple of years when I have a better idea what I'm doing.
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I've been waiting on the grove manager to let me know when he was done spraying. I called him Thursday and we set up a time to meet Friday he told me he would let me know the spray schedule then. No hurry right! I met with him and he told me I could drop hives this weekend. Time to hurry! The bloom is starting but in this grove looks like much of is a week or so away. I called around and confirmed nearby groves have all finished spraying and in one nearby grove the bees just started to make honey!

I "learned"
I thought that growers where concerned with getting greening disease in a grove is seems that most if not all groves have it they are worried about it spreading not only grove to grove but tree to tree.
Part of reason it's spreading and has such an effect is abandoned groves that aren't treated.
Growers have lots of stuff they spray that is labeled bee safe.
Trees with greening bloom early.

This is a tree they haven't picked yet.
The grove of 35 acres I'm in is mostly Hamlin which are grown for juice but there are a couple more varieties close
Tree Plant Woody plant Flower Shrubland


I had a few more hives to bring to my staging yard ( everyone else calls it my backyard).
I had a couple bottom boards to change and lids needed to be opened.
Things I "learned"
I need a new bottom board system. They are hard to screen in and it's too warm to plug a strong hive up. I may need to look at moving screens, screened bottoms or maybe a couple 3 inch hole saw cuts in the bottom with screen.
A better plan... Get my hives ready and leave them alone. I thought I'd have four or five days to let them set and propolis lids etc down, I need to move them Sunday or Monday.
I need to make a dolly! Strong arm is getting old with my hard to screen in bottoms and shifting lids.
I need beekeeping pants. I don't mind the couple off stings I get though jeans but I need about 11 more pockets.
Red filtered light headlamps don't work so well inside of the veil.
I need to learn some knots! A pallet set on top of hives will not keep lids from shifting.
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I'll try to post some better photos tomorrow.

I think I'll load about 30 hives and take them Sunday or Monday night so if your behind a gray truck and trailer in central Florida one of those nights don't follow to closely !
 
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#4 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Wouldn't putting on screened covers for the move be an easier way to go than bottom ventilation. It doesn't sound like you are moving them thru cold conditions. Are you doing forklifted by Arm Strong? If not, why are the screens on the bottom a problem?
 
#8 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Wouldn't putting on screened covers for the move be an easier way to go than bottom ventilation. It doesn't sound like you are moving them thru cold conditions. Are you doing forklifted by Arm Strong? If not, why are the screens on the bottom a problem?
Do you mean screened lids?
Or screened inserts for bottom board?
I'm picking each one up.
 
#11 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Good luck Mbeck! I was down checking on my bees Friday and noticed the same thing as you. The trees are starting to bloom but, looks like most of the bloom is about a week away. There were lots of flowers that where white but, had not popped open yet. This is my first year too. Hoping for a good flow.
 
#12 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Eventful night.

Started load
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I learned:
Stick to the plan
I added a couple hive to even the load out and then loaded them wrong.
A small difference in bottom board height make a big difference.
Hive that are queen less will be easy to spot if you move them twice in a week.
Last minute slap together hives drift
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A few miles down the road I stopped to do a load check and give the straps an extra crank.
Load was tight and the bees settled in well.
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Just a few miles after that on I-75 only a few miles from the grove my truck engine stopped running going 55. I made it to the side of the road and sat there for two hour waiting for AAA and a friend's wife to bring his truck. Looks like so far it's just one expensive fuel pump.
Unloading was smooth and ill go back to super and equalize if needed as soon as I get my truck back. I'll bring a couple boxes to see if I can catch a swarm (hopefully mine won't) Some nucs to do a couple cut down splits and some cages to add queens to a couple I suspect are with out. Some one forgot to order excluders so I'm short three so I'll have to come up with a plan for that. I think I'll just wait until the hives have their fourth or fifth super full and pull some to put on the hives that didnt have one after I shake them down!!!
I'm still absorbing it all.
 
#13 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

I'm headed back to super hives tomorrow.
I'm finishing up branding some equipment.
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I put together some frames/foundation for cut comb. I left two hives on a single pallet to give me the option to combine and super for cut comb.

Can anyone share some tips ?
 
#16 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

I final got back to the grove to get supers on everything. It's a windy, overcast, cold and rainy but I got lucky and it mostly only drizzled while I worked. I kept the heater on in the truck to warm up between pallets it was so cold I don't think it got above 62!
Hives overall looked good and didnt drift nearly as bad as I thought. I think I only had one queenless which I straightened out hopefully and this one.....
Bee Honeybee Beehive Membrane-winged insect Insect

It was one of the stronger ones and one of the last off the trailer to be opened up.

The bloom in the grove I'm in is barely starting but less than 1/4 mile away it well under way.
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It took a little longer to get everything done with the cold and rain the bees where a little snotty but they were flying,collecting nectar and building new comb.
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Hopefully my photos aren't to boring. I'll take request!

I "learned"
Six hives pushed close onto a pallet expose a design flaw in my lids. The cleats on the ends make opening from the side the only option which is harder to do when they are pushed together.
With a six hive pallet, work the ones in the middle first. Especially with the nasty weather it's best to stand in front of the middle one before you get the whole pallet worked up.
Always bring duct tape and bungy cords (that really applies to everything) bees where crawly today and the elastic on my jacket isn't great.
The expensive part of beekeeping is going to be the extra just in case stuff. I really should have an extra smoker, a few more supers etc.
 
#17 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

There is a cold front moving through tonight with freeze warnings issued! If it doesn't get cold enough to damage the bloom how will a cold snap effect the flow? Its a short time event and the weather should be back to normal in a couple days.
Does anyone have experience with this?
 
#18 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Checked the hives today.
Wow! The smell is overwhelming when you crack open the hives.
Most of the hives have moved up into the supers and are putting away nectar.
It's clear which hives where built up correctly and where I was too conservative.(unless they swarm which might happen).

There is still plenty of bloom so I'm not sure what effect the cold had.
Flower Plant Flowering plant Terrestrial plant Pittosporaceae

Flower Plant Leaf Flowering plant Tree

Fruit tree Citrus Orange Fruit Meyer lemon


I'm glad the cold weather is gone!
 
#19 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

I checked mine today too. Everything looked ideal. The trees had no signs of being burnt from the cold, lots of blooms open, more blooms almost ready to pop open and the bees were working them hard. But, I have not saw much nectar in the supers yet. Ya got any suggestions? I figure its just gonna take a little more time. I'm gonna go back next Friday to check on them. Sounds like yours are doing good.
 
#20 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Maybe your flow is a week behind the flow where I'm at?
Where are your hives? Groveland? That's north of mine.

The very strong ones are starting on the supers the others less so but all of them are bringing in nectar you can smell it as soon as you open them. I don't have nearly enough drawn comb so many of them are drawing as they go.
Honeycomb Insect Bee Beehive Honeybee
 
#21 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Yes, I'm in Groveland right on Hwy50. Everything looks good, fair amount of bloom open, a lot of bloom getting ready to pop, and the bees were working them hard. I'm probably just being impatient. I don't have any experience with oranges. I'm doing good on drawn comb so far. I haven't had to get into my boxes of foundation yet. Once they get rolling I would like to get them to draw some deep foundation to be used for splits later on this spring.
 
#24 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Checked hives today. Bloom looks good and flow is strong in my inexperienced opinion.

After looking at the hives today I'm feeling like this beekeeping thing is easy. Couple more years like this and I'll be able to afford to meet all big time commercial guys in Europe for the post Almond bloom vacation!
 
#25 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

Checked the hives today bloom is in full swing ( did I say that before)
The grove is buzzing with bees and I'd guess that the last 30% of the bloom will open with in a week or so. The bloom up the road 20 miles seems to be a couple weeks behind. Maybe I'll chase it when I'm done here? I'm hearing other groves are about done.
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I'm cutting it close on having enough supers I had to build some this week.
I'm probably putting supers on too soon but my lack of experience is telling me its better to be safe than sorry. I'm adding supers at about 60% and checking hives every week to 10 days.
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I caught a couple swarms!!!
I large one in a Nuc and a small one in a 10 frame. Go figure!
I'd like to think they aren't mine but I'm not sure even though my hives look as I think they should compared to last week.
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I wish I had more exciting photos to share but maybe it's good I don't.
There really is no substitute for hands on experience and I'm glad I have the chance to get a feel for it. A large chunk of orange blossom comb full of nectar is something everyone should experience.
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#27 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

I got the word last week from the grove manager that I need to be out by early next week.
I went to pull honey today....
I really need a honey pulling lesson!
What a mess.
I bit of family emergency meant that I didn't have time to clear all the supers of bees.
I should have left them on the ground but.....
I had to load and go. I got home just before dark so thankfully the hives at the house won't go on a robbing frenzy.
So here I sit thinking about all the extra work I have clearing these supers of bees in the dark just so I could get home a hour early.
Any suggestions...other than doing it right the first time?

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* Sorry for Photo it was taken on a hill!!!
 
#31 ·
Re: Going to Orange Bloosom Thread

What kind of yield per colony?
That depends who's asking:

If you keep hives every year in Florida orange groves my answer is two or three deeps.

If your thinking of coming to Florida next year my answer is about 20# on the ones that didnt get slimed out by SHB.

Seriously I'm not sure what the total is yet.
I hate to guess but I'll share my numbers once I get it extracted.
 
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