Conventional wisdom says the hives should be moved either a few inches or a
mile or more at a time.  I understand the rationale.....you either want the
bees to be able to find their orginal spot or else you want to to realize at
once that they have been moved and to reorient themselves.

But what really happens?  If you move them 10 feet, how many hang around the
old site and how many mosey on over to the new hive, or even wander to a
nearby hive?

How about 200 yards?  Will there be a few bees at the old site, or 25% of the
hive?  Is it like a swarm or just a handful of lonesome bees?

But my real question is that if you move them 1 mile, how do you know the
bees made if back at all?  Maybe 15%-25% went out without reorienting
themselves and just wandered around and got lost.  Do we know how efficiently
bees reorient themselves after short, medium and long relocations?

chalres henry
little rock