3D printed home for solitary bees using glass tubes!
3D printed home for solitary bees using glass tubes!
Published 2023-05-09T11:50:09+00:00
This educational bee hotel is designed to provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of solitary mason bees. It is 3D printed and features a sturdy frame with a row of clear glass tubes that serve as individual nesting spaces. The glass tubes provide a unique and captivating view of the bees' nesting behavior, allowing you to observe their activities up close without disturbing them.
It's important to note that while glass tubes are a popular choice for bee hotels, they are not an ideal material for wild bees. Glass is not a breathable material, which can lead to moisture buildup and mold growth inside the nesting spaces. For this reason, if you want to truly support wild bee populations, it's recommended to use a bee hotel design with untreated wood or other breathable materials that allow for proper ventilation.
That being said, this glass tube bee hotel is still a wonderful educational tool that can help people learn about the fascinating world of bees and the important role they play in our ecosystem. By providing a safe and comfortable nesting space for mason bees, this bee hotel can help support local bee populations and promote biodiversity in your area.
You can 3d print the back plate but I would recommend sawing it out of wood and drilling some holes, this will save you quite some time and is a lot cheaper.
Everything can be printed without the need for support.
For the hinge, you will need some hex m3 bolts with a minimum length of 15mm. Longer = better.
For mounting the side brackets to the back plate you will need M3 bolts with a length of 10 - 15 mm.
Date published | 09/05/2023 |
Support Free | YES |