There are no easy answers to the problems that neighbors can create.  For
most people, bees are just bugs. And if they know you have bees, then all
bees they encounter become your bees, even if they nest in the ground and
look remarkably like yellow jackets.  It's human nature.
  It is also part of our national "lottery mentality" to be prone to filing
suit over issues that do not affect one's lifestyle so much as they present
the possibility of significant financial gain with little effort.
  My suggestion is to make certain that your homeowner's policy covers
events on your property that may result from the presence of your hives.
If you sell any honey you may risk losing your insurance coverage for the
bees since most policies would deem your beekeeping as a "commercial
venture" not a hobby, even if the "commercial" venture barely breaks even.
It is a strong plus in this regard if you do not sell any of your honey,
thus have no cash or income that is linked to it.
  Inform your neighbors that your coverage is in place, that you have taken
steps to reduce their flights over their property.  Also inform them if
there are any other bees in the area, or other bee-like insects that may be
causing problems, and possibly suggest an exterminator if you believe they
have yellow jacket problems.
  Keeping the hives in such a manner that they have a "low profile" is
useful, but my opinion is that you have to be firm and stick to your
position that the hives are staying.  How long were your neighbors in place
before they complained, or even became aware that the bees were there?
  It is remotely possible that your state of county agricultural agent might
be able to give you some advice in this matter also.
  Finally, the one factor that can represent a real problem for you is if
the bees swarm.  I had hives located on another's property, and they threw
off a swarm this spring.  The neighbors went beserk.  Wouldn't let their
children out of the house, and so on.  Keep in mind these weren't my
neighbors, just neighbors of friends that were kind enough to let me place a
hive on their property.  It was up to them to decide what they wished to do,
and they just felt they had no choice but to ask me to move the hives (which
I did without any grumbling, or course, since I suggested that this was
their only course of action).
  Best of luck/ Curtis Crowell