I finally got my honeybees. I picked up two singles on the 15th of May, and put them very near an apple orchard. The day after I put them in place, I added a second deep hive body to each, as they were already getting crowded in the single hive body. Also, I have replaced all of the original equipment (hive bodies, top covers, bottom covers), except the frames, with my own brand-new equipment.
I did a full inspection of each hive yesterday, and spotted the queen in one hive, but did not see her in the other. Both hives appear to my novice eye to be very strong, with a great deal of activity at the entrances. There are lots of bees coming and going, and many of the returning foragers have loaded pollen baskets.
I visited them today, and walked around the area to see what is blooming, and what flowers the bees were working. I noticed the bees working Cercis reniformis (not native to this area, they were in large planters), Dandelions, Horsechestnut, Cardinal Red Osier Dogwood and False Honeysuckle.
This is a somewhat hasty journal entry, and I hope to make more complete journal entries in the future.
Here is a picture of my hives:
