The Bee-It-Yourself Project

Bee-IY is a two-part project. Firstly, toilet paper rolls are transformed into nesting tunnels for solitary bees using our Bee-IY molds. Then, place these rolls into bee houses, whether 3d-printed or made by yourself. Secure the bee hotel in a safe, sunny spot surrounded with flowers and wait for the bees!

The Bee-IY Mold

The 3d-printable BeeIY mold is composed of 3 parts that snap together and 3 tubes that go between. We specially designed it to fit a regular toilet 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.

The Bee House

As part of Bee-IY, we also designed 3d-printable bee houses to contain the toilet paper rolls in — simply stack the transformed rolls together and tightly pack into the bee house. There are 3 bee house designs to choose from, with colors most attractive to bees: blue, yellow, and purple. Click on the 3D image below to access downloadable files.

Make Your Own Bee House

You can also make your own bee house with recycled water/milk bottles. You will need:

Materials:

1 clean water or milk bottle
1 piece of cardboard (larger than the bottle’s width)
Preferable 1 BeeIY transformed toilet paper roll for reference

Tools:

Hot glue gun
Scissors
Utility knife
Marker

Setting Up The Bee House

After the bee house is complete, it is important to set it up in a warm, sunny area that solitary bees can visit. Some tips and tricks are:

• Bee houses should be 3 to 5 feet above ground, with no foliage obstructing the entrance

• Bee houses need to be tightly secured (preferably with a nail) to the wall/tree. Do not hang it loosely with a string.

• Make sure there are flowers close by blooming throughout the Spring to Fall.

• Do not use pesticides.

• Clean and replace the nesting rolls yearly. Do not reuse old paper rolls as this can spread diseases to the new generations of bees.