Moved my nuc and bees came back next day

[Utah]

I have a problem, I moved my nuc at night to pollenate the garden about 1000 feet away. I think all the bees were in the hive. It was dark so I just covered the entrance and moved them.

The next day I noticed several bees hanging around the old location. Did they not remember where they started out the new day or am I missing something? Do they sometimes go back to the old location?

I had a Top Bar Hive close to the previous nuc. They did start to investigate it. Now another day is past and there are more - lots more. I havent had time to look in it but I dont think there is a queen. I gave them some old honey for feed just outside the TBH. I figured that if they could draw out the TBH, it would help me next season - I wasn't able to keep the swarm I put in the TBH.

Can you all tell me what you have experienced in similar situations?
Will these loner bees live a while? What should I expect?

Thanks for any replies!

[utahbeekeeper]

3+ football fields should have been enough buffer.  It always helps also to use the old robbing trick for a short move and stuff some grass loosly in the entrance to make the bees work some at getting out . . . . helps to reset the gyros.

[the kid]

dont count on the girls to pollenate the garden ,,,,,    last year I had three fruit trees with in a 100 feet of two hives not one honeybee on the trees ,  had four other fruit trees within 300 feet ,,not one honey bee...  so how close they are doesn't make a hill of beans to the bees...
this year the trees were full of honey bees ...   point is they go were they d*m* well please ,,,  and they dont care what you do ,,,
you can tell that there all girl workers
the kid

[Utah]

Nevertheless, I moved them thinking they could help the large garden set fruit a little better. We hadn't seen anything but wasps lately.

Well, today and yesterday, there were my bees in the tomatoes, in the pumpkins, in the melons, in the squash. I think it will be good for the garden.

Now, just what to do with the loner bees with no queen?

[JP]

Nevertheless, I moved them thinking they could help the large garden set fruit a little better. We hadn't seen anything but wasps lately.

Well, today and yesterday, there were my bees in the tomatoes, in the pumpkins, in the melons, in the squash. I think it will be good for the garden.

Now, just what to do with the loner bees with no queen?

Put out a bait hive in the old location and keep bringing them back at night
to the new location, and yes you need to reduce the entrance, add some grass and a branch in front of the hive to get them to re-orient to the new location.


...JP