> I think the folk-wisdom ... may just conceal from beekeepers the losses that any significant move entails for the bees. 

We could write a book on that: people see what they want to see. If you don't look for problems you just might not find them, even though they are staring you in the face. 

I have moved bees short distances, too. My plan is to leave nothing at the old site that remotely looks or smells like a hive. Then they realize the colony has really moved and they go looking for it. But this plan works best in good weather. 

About 15 years ago I attended a presentation where the beekeeper described breaking up hives onsite. The usual plan is to break up hives and move them, or break them up immediately after a move before they memorize their location. 

His plan was to go into a yard of bees and make as many nucs as possible from the hives. He said to not leave one single thing the same, move all the hives, pallets, or whatever so everything looks different to them and they sort it out. 

I have used this technique ever since and have had very good luck splitting hives on site this way. The key is to learn to think and see the way they do.

PLB

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