Storm Door

This is the front of the hive, which is southeast facing. In the decade we've lived in our house, the weather has never come from the south or the east. Every storm has come from the north or west, creaming the near floor-to-ceiling windows of our house. Except in 2008.

I love how their storm door glows in the afternoon light. I wonder how thick they'll make it for Winter.

The brood nest is in the upper portion of this area, so it's extremely important that the developing babies are protected from the elements. Sometimes the girls will line up by the two small openings, fluttering their wings to vent the heat. Despite the heatwave*, they keep the temperature inside the hive around 94 degrees.

*Weather Update 8/1/8: today's high 104; we've had 21 days straight above 90.