BeeIY

A DIY project for the bees.

With a 3d-printed BeeIY mold, anyone can transform their paper towel roll from waste to a hotel for solitary bees.

BeeIY is composed of a 3-part mold that snaps together and 3 tubes that go between the mold and the paper roll to refine the final shape. It is specially designed to fit a regular paper roll that is 4” high and 1.75” in diameter. Each roll is then transformed into a shape that has 3 tunnels for the bees.

Why solitary bees?

Unlike the popular honey bees, most bees are in fact solitary; they do not live in colonies and do not produce honey. Solitary bees nest in natural or man-made cavities. Providing a bee hotel for them to rest or lay eggs in is a great way to help the bees facing extinction!

The Bee-It-Yourself Project

BeeIY is composed of a (3d-printed) 3-part mold that snaps together and 3 tubes that go between to refine the final shape. We specially designed it to fit a regular paper roll that is 4” high and 1.75” in diameter. Each roll is then transformed into a shape that has 3 tunnels for the bees.

To try it yourself, the link to the BeeIY file:

The Bee House

As part of BeeIY, we also designed a 3d-printable bee house to contain the paper towel rolls in. Simply stack the transformed rolls together and tightly pack into the bee house.

Make Your Own Bee House

There is also the option to make your own bee house with recycled water/milk bottles.