> <I also use landmarks laid in front of a hive if I want to move it a few
> feet.  I just move the landmark (such as a board or piece of white card)
> along with the hive.>
> 
> I use small pieces of black duct tape (2" X 2") to  make designs on the
> front of the hive to aid a new swarm or a split to get a fix on their
new
> hive.   seems to work for me.

Mark Winston in his book Biology of the Honey Bee listed figures the
honeybee could discriminate.  I have used those to help bees ID their hives
when the situation might be confusing.  I painted the symbol near the
entrance.  No real science on my part, but it is the old adage "can't
hurt... might help."  

I also use the difference colored plastic wheels on the entrances of my
nucs... thinking the colors might help alleviate possible confusion.

The black tape idea might work well so the symbols could be changed. 
Actually... might be a fun experiment.  One could mark the drones in each
hive and then change the symbols to see if the drones follow the symbol or
the location.

Larry Krengel

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