BEEMO - Biodegradable Bee Motel + Feeder

thingiverse

The following is a testimonial, background, and recommendations from my unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign. I finally decided to release the files for free, but I am still engaged in local production/distribution, so donations are encouraged: With declining bee populations, one third of the world's crops are at risk of losing their essential caretakers. The average consumer is aware of the personal and environmental dangers of losing the delicate bee populations, but doesn't know where to start doing something about it. BEEMO is here to meet the bees halfway by providing resting areas and nourishment. BEEMO can be placed near flower gardens, in yards, personal forests or other areas of interest, and features a nectar/water dish to both attract and replenish the exhausted worker bees. BEEMO is 3D-printed in the USA using environmentally sustainable PLA, which is biodegradable (3-6+ months if composting or buried). BEEMO comes in colors that are uncommon in nature, except in pollen-producing flowers. Bee colonies function very systematically. The pollen-collectors utilize their surroundings throughout their routes to complete their daily tasks efficiently. Once a bee leaves the hive, it typically stays away working for several hours, hopefully to return home with a suitable heft of pollen (sound familiar?). A source of water on a hot/dry day is perhaps out of reach, or deadly to approach (moving water, deep containers, contamination, etc.). If just one bee discovers the advantages of BEEMO, that bee introduces the new asset to the entire colony, potentially lending hydration and energy to the range of 20,000 - 80,000 fellow worker bees per hive. At our current 3D-printing rate, it takes more than 9 hours to produce just one BEEMO. Upon reaching our goal of 20,000 USD, we can expand our operation enough to sustain a global supply! By pledging even 1 USD, you will have helped made a positive impact on a global scale! Let's see the change for ourselves :) Follow @BEEMO.sustainable on Instagram & Facebook to see BEEMO in action! #BEEMOSustainable Product Recommendations: • BEEMO is designed to appear familiar and friendly to honey bees. Both the colors and hexagonal pattern resemble health and safety to the bees. To help the bees discover BEEMO easily, place in areas with lots of flowers. The bees are most likely accustomed to the layout of your property, and already know where to find the pollen-producing flowers. • Bees start collecting pollen at various times in the morning, depending on the season and temperature. To make BEEMO more useful to the bees, mount facing East so that the morning Sun warms up the surrounding area sooner than later. Mount in the shade during hotter seasons. • Other bee hotels/motels/rest stops are prone to nesting of unwanted insects. BEEMO is made of PLA, which resists nesting of insects, so that when the bees arrive, it's time for them to get out. To further prevent entry of unwanted insects, mount BEEMO several feet from the ground (the higher the better). DO NOT use insecticides. • BEEMO features a removable cover for the routine addition of honey or water. Honey/nectar/water may also be added more without removing the cover using an eye-dropper or pipette, but occasionally removing the cover is still recommended. Routines will vary depending on bee traffic volumes and climate, but some beekeepers report that the bees will empty the dish in only minutes. After making BEEMO accessible to bees, check every other day for the first week to gauge your routine. Caution: Approach only when no bees are present to avoid injury or possible death if allergic. Observe from a distance to ensure vacancy, then approach with caution. Gently tap and step back to avoid any remaining bees. Safest if maintained toward sundown.