Bee Hotel

myminifactory

This is my contribution to the Hope3D contest, tackling the environmental theme head-on. The alarming decline of solitary bee populations has been a pressing issue lately, with their numbers dwindling at an unsettling rate. In addition to filling your garden with a diverse array of flowers, creating solitary bee hives can greatly enrich your surroundings. This project involves designing a bee hotel and has been in development for over one year now. I have developed multiple versions of the bee hotel, each with its unique characteristics. One version features large holes (8 mm) that attract mason bees, as seen in the front image. I also created a version with a mix of different sized holes, which will be used by a variety of solitary bees. As evident from the pictures, I had to protect the hotels with wire netting, as birds found them to be a tasty meal ;). Both single extruder and dual extruder setups are catered for in this design, with two color versions available for the latter. I opted for Colorfabb WoodFill and Corkfill for printing the bee hotels, as they absorb more moisture (preventing condensation and fungal growth). The black/yellow versions were printed using PLA. Print settings include: Using a 0.8 mm nozzle when printing woodfill and cork fill to lower the risk of clogged nozzles due to wood fibers A print speed of 60 mm/s A print temperature of 210°C for Woodfill, 220°C for Corkfill A bed temperature of 60°C Post-processing involves: Cleaning out the holes with a drill to ensure no protrusions are left, which could harm the bees' wings Cleaning out the holes each year (after the season) to maintain their usability I also designed a smaller version that can be used as a promotional key ring, adding a touch of fun to this project. All designs were created in Fusion 360. I hope my design will contribute to a thriving natural environment and inspire joy and awareness of our surroundings. I know it has done the same for me. Marco #Hope3D