Winged workers join Burt's Bees

Thousands of new workers – worker bees, that is – have joined the Burt's Bees headquarters in Durham.

The company, maker of natural skin care and cosmetic products, opened an "observation hive" Tuesday embedded in the wall of its brick offices on American Tobacco Campus.

The hive is about 6 feet tall and 2 feet wide, and it will be home to over 15,000 bees, the company said.

Burt's has advocated the cause of bees and their role in the environment through corporate giving and other programs in the past.

"The observation hive is a wonderful symbol of our mission and an everyday reminder of what we're working toward, right here within our own four walls," said Paula Alexander, Burt's Bees director of sustainable business & innovation.

The Burt's hive was custom-fit to the wall by North Carolina beekeeper Bill Thering. It is made of quarter-inch thick, impact-resistant safety glass.

It is the third hive at American Tobacco Campus. Two others are located on the top of the Power Plant building.