# Getting bees ready to head to cali



## stevethebeeman (Mar 27, 2013)

We are in east Texas going through the bees posting some pics


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## Richter1978 (Oct 3, 2013)

Nice!


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## CLICKBANGBANG (Feb 3, 2013)

What part of the state will you be in?


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Might want to get your grove on. Was in our trees this afternoon cleaning up some left over nuts that stuck during shaking last fall and happen to see lots of buds on the move as well as two flowers 100% open. The heat this weekend is gonna push them more. At this rate we will have trees on a roll within 10 days to 2 weeks.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Honey-4-All said:


> Might want to get your grove on. Was in our trees this afternoon cleaning up some left over nuts that stuck during shaking last fall and happen to see lots of buds on the move as well as two flowers 100% open. The heat this weekend is gonna push them more. At this rate we will have trees on a roll within 10 days to 2 weeks.



I agree. Got a call from a grower today asking me to get em in sooner than latter. Their in the Manteca CA area.


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## swarm_trapper (Jun 19, 2003)

Good shipping first two loads out Friday and Saturday nights going to Bakersfield hoping they have something to do when they get there


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## matt1954 (Sep 8, 2010)

Our grower advanced our bee here date to Feb 1. We have our RIFA cert on Jan 28 while we are loading.


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## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

Steve

Are all those knock down singles or do you winter them like that? Are those the old Dadant flat tops your using.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

matt1954 said:


> Our grower advanced our bee here date to Feb 1. We have our RIFA cert on Jan 28 while we are loading.


What's a RIFA cert?


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## babybee (Mar 23, 2012)

Red imported fire ant, I am guessing.


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## stevethebeeman (Mar 27, 2013)

Yes we winter in a lot of singles they will get placed as singles we are making sure they all have 8 frame average. We make all the lids out of steel plywood . buy it all second hand it came off of concrete forms its great wood lasts forever. When we get done grading we will power wash all of them

We run them in singles with a excluder all summer


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## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

Steve, 

Was wondering what you are sourcing that steel ply at $ wise? I know a lot of midwest guys used to snag a lot of "used" sheets while in Texas!. 

Over the new years holiday I went north to visit relatives and picked up a full unit of "seconds" from a mill in Washington. We will be able to cut around all the "issues" the sheets have. 

Do you use all HDO or is some of it MDO? Part of the load I snagged has a mahogany subsurface below the paper. Makes it really nice and tough. Suppose those pieces will be around till 2035 or later.


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## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

beesohappy said:


> What's a RIFA cert?


My experience is that it's the little piece of paper that many border inspectors either laugh at or ignore when you try to enter the Great Republic of California. Just clean em up good and be prepared for them to take a good look at them at both the border and your unloading area.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

Does everyone that brings bees into CA need to have this inspection or is it only people coming in from the southern areas? I'm considering moving to Roseburg OR. Would I need to be inspec ted?


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

I move in from WA with no problems. No certificates no nothing. Ive moved in clean pallets and dirty pallets. Just make sure you don't have bunch of thistle hanging off your pallets.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Honey-4-All said:


> Over the new years holiday I went north to visit relatives and picked up a full unit of "seconds" from a mill in Washington. We will be able to cut around all the "i


Funny you had to come here for plywood. I got several units of Best grade 3/4" HDO from brother for cheap. Gets it somewhere around LA but has some serious connections.


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## johng (Nov 24, 2009)

RFIA is defiantly a Fire ant inspection certificate. I'm not exactly sure about all the specifics but, it's my understanding you need one to get into Cali. if your coming from Florida. As Jim pointed out I'm sure the California inspectors still give your load a through going over even if you have the certificate. I have a couple friends that are Florida Inspectors and they stay really busy this time of year doing those Fire ant inspections I think they have to inspect every load of bees leaving Florida. So you can only imagine how busy the inspectors are gonna be over the next couple weeks.


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

jim lyon said:


> My experience is that.


........if your trucker hits the right port of entry, your chances are better, if you pay the extra miles it's worth it....


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

wow! Im seeing pictures pasted all over facebook of trucks hauling and beekeepers unloading, quite impressive. Rock and roll and keep it safe!!  Wish I could be there just to watch it


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## babybee (Mar 23, 2012)

For our singles, we only need a 6 frame average. May I ask what you are getting paid for an 8 frame average single?


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## Keith Jarrett (Dec 10, 2006)

babybee said:


> For our singles, we only need a 6 frame average. May I ask what you are getting paid for an 8 frame average single?


As long as WE can ask what your getting for 6 frame singles?


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## babybee (Mar 23, 2012)

Yes, I get 145. So if the broker/beekeeper that sets them in and handles everything on that end gets 25 then the grower would be paying 170.


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## stevethebeeman (Mar 27, 2013)

last load heading west


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## loggermike (Jul 23, 2000)

The rush is on! We saw scattered bloom on early varieties in the Durham area yesterday.A few are popping along 1-5 south of red Bluff. Forecasters are calling for several days of potentially heavy rain in the north starting around Friday. Its gonna bee a busy week.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

They're popping down here already, 30-40% bloom in the early rows.


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