"I've read lots about when moving a hive or making a split or whatever that you have to move the hive 1 or 2 miles away so the bees don't drift back to the original location or hive. Sounds like a lot of work at times.
I've read in 1 or 2 places and know of one beek that say the bees have a memory of about 48 hours.
He says just close them up with grass or #8 mesh, move them wherever you want and then 48 hours later open them up and they'll be fine.
I'd have to think that you have any sort of "bee landmark" at the old location it might make it a bit tricky to have success with that... Maybe...
Any thoughts on either one of those things?"
divides and splits can be challenging. and are a lot of work and need attention. as a practice i do move them 3 miles away, not 1 mile, not 2 miles. i don't keep more than 6 or 7 hives so have the luxury of moving them to surrounding neighbors property. i move them for at least 3 weeks, to let them build up and are strong enough to defend themselves. i do this to give the divide/nuc the best chance of survival, especially with new queens. if you are using swarm cells or purchased queens, or letting the bees requeen themselves........same goes. give them a chance. in my own experience i have found it best to move newly divided hives for overall success. not saying i haven't left divides of big hives in the same yard, i have, with mixed results.
bees do have memory and gps, and well beyond 48 hours. they remember the last place they were, and will, for days, irregardless (in my experience) of trying to 'fool' them. for example, they will remember the back of your truck or your trailer, if you have moved them without screening them in, or have loaded supers for extracting and bees remain in the supers and you have driven them to wherever you are extracting.
i tend to screen the divide in as soon as i make the divide and move to the new location. once at the new location, i leave them screened for the night.
i go back the next morning, remove the screening, leave the screening near or propped next to the entrance. they study this stuff while they are screened in. they will reorient to the new location.
"The tip here is to help them reorient as they leave their hive at the new location."
yes, when bees are moved they get disoriented even when screened in. anything placed in front of the hive to get their attention helps.
