Can I move these 5 hives now...?

[Steve SC]

I've had these 5 hives about 6 weeks.  They're swarm and division hives - they're all doing good but of course not as populated as they will be.  

I placed them where I thought they would get full late spring and all summer sun - seems they aren't getiing the sun until about 10:30 am right now and it'll be that way all summer.  (Where they are now will be great this winter.)  I don't think the bee are getting out foraging as soon as they should this time of year - they're waiting on the sun to hit the hives.  

Can I move these hives late in the evening after all foragers are in for the night.  I'll be moving them about 50 yds.  Will they adapt right away or will they get confused and go back to place they were before I moved them..?

Steve SC

[TREBOR]

I don't think the bee are getting out foraging as soon as they should this time of year - they're waiting on the sun to hit the hives.

Are they Italians?,my Ital. are the last to fly in the morning and the first to close up shop for the day, also if they are building they may have a big brood nest to keep warn intil it warms up outside...
that is my guess,cause some of my big collonies weren't flying much either, I saw nothing wrong with them inside and outside temps at 65 deg, 15 days later they were flying like crazy and there is lottsa new bees hangin on the porch..
the weather was basiclly the same....

Can I move these hives late in the evening after all foragers are in for the night. I'll be moving them about 50 yds. Will they adapt right away or will they get confused and go back to place they were before I moved them..?

what I would do is, take the 4 strongest collonies, in evening put grass in the entrances
and move them, leaving the weakest behind.....
after you move the four, pull the grass out slightly just enough for one or two bees to get out and for alittle air flow( the bees should remove it but they may need your help)....
at the old site, the ones that do return should go in the weakest hive by night fall. then move that one later.....
I have done a few moves like this around my place and found that even if you only leave your platform or hive stand behind, the bees still want to go there......
so I have started taking down all bee related land marks from those spots like    
(a stick in the ground or any thing that was near the old location like the blocks under my hives)
  before I started doing this they would cluster on the blocks and stay, after I started doing it, they were all gone by 5 pm. lots of them will just join the nearest collony(the weak one you left behind)

or someone else may have a differant idea that may work better  :)
hope that helps...!

[Michael Bush]

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmoving.htm

[Steve SC]

I appreciate the replies.  I'll move the bees tomorrow.  If they get lost they'll find their way back - - 50 yds ain't far for a bees to circle and get re-oriented.  I will put the branch in front for them to re-establish a relationship with their hive and the new location...  Thanks ....