moving bees in late fall

[jaseemtp]

Looking at moving bees tomorrow.  My question is, our high temp is expected to be 71 f with a low of 46 f.  I would be moving them at night so the temps would be in the 50s to 40s.  Bad idea? any thing I need to take into consideration?
Or should I wait a couple more days when the temps would be in the 50s to 60s?  The thing that concerns me is if I happen to break the cluster and end up losing some of my colonies.  I will be moving the girls a few hundred miles so 4 hours on a trailer down a bunch of Texas farm to market roads.

[rwlaw]

You can't move em in the morning? That way they'd have all day to get settled down before it cools off. Another thing to consider is the wind chill if they're on a open trailer.

[jaseemtp]

It is 4 hours away, so moving in the morning would be difficult. Noon is the earliest I can get out there. Yes it is an open trailer, again making moving difficult as I will need to stop and get fuel.

[tecumseh]

some experience suggest to me that it is safer to move bees when it is a bit cool than when it is very hot.  at the temperatures you have suggested I would have little to no concerns beyond having the boxes, tops and bottoms well secured one to the other.

[jaseemtp]

Thanks ET

[merince]

You should have no issues moving them at those temps. My only suggestion, since you plan on picking them up at noon, is to close them up at night to make sure you don't lose the foragers. Use screen so they don't overheat.

[Vance G]

I used to help load semitrailers with beehives in freezing sometimes far below freezing temperatures.  The bees handle it fine.  The temperatures you are mentioning will not affect their clustering.  Save the field bees by screening in early or late, but move them anytime in your weather.  21F here and 5 1/2 months til dandelions.