The orange honey season has ended in the San Joaquin Valley, but the feud between beekeepers and mandarin orange growers, including two major farming companies, is just heating up and it may end up in court.

Beekeepers, citing losses of up to $1 million because of demands by Paramount Citrus to keep hives at least two miles from its mandarin orange groves, have discussed legal options with several attorneys.

Susan Milligan of Glory Bee Co. in Shafter said legal action may be imminent to seek civil damages and an injunction against Paramount Citrus, Sun Pacific and smaller growers of seedless Clementine mandarin oranges who want a two-mile no-fly zone because of concerns that cross-pollination by bees is causing development of seeds in the fruit.