BeeBox
Lancaster University
Problem
The provision of both food and habitat are vital to the conservation of bumblebees. Planting wildflowers – such as the rough hawkbit – provides bees with the nectar and pollen they need to survive, but a suitable nesting environment is of equal importance. To truly support bee populations, conservation efforts must balance these two elements — wildflower planting and nesting site provision — ensuring bees have everything they need to thrive and continue their essential role in pollination and ecosystem health.
Solution
BeeBox is a 3D-printed nest made using sustainable and biodegradable wood-fibre materials. When designing BeeBox, researchers observed the bees’ behaviours in response to different-sized enclosures to see which dimensions provide the most comfort and support for the colony. The structure of the BeeBox also incorporates cavity wall insulation principles to help regulate temperature within the nest.
Sustainable Development Goals addressed
Some facts:
- Bumblebees are in decline for several reasons, one of the primary ones being that their natural nesting habitats have been destroyed by urbanisation and intensive farming. BeeBox artificially supplements naturally occurring nest sites for bumblebees, so by getting a BeeBox for your garden, you can contribute to their conservation.
- BeeBox can also be used as a research tool. By adapting the design to incorporate a high-end internal camera and a lighting rig that uses infrared light (which bees can’t see), we can watch bumblebees within their nest!
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Tabletop R&D
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