This product is a consumer-grade beehive designed to sustain bees in both rural and urban environments. The product is designed to be low maintenance and entirely self contained.
The Problem
Overall populations and species diversity of bees have been sharply declining in recent years.
Pollinators are essential for global health and stability yet they are shrinking in numbers.
Bees alone provide 25-35% of all food produced in the world through pollination.
We need them but they are disappearing.
This product is designed to facilitate specifically mason bees.
Unlike honey bees, mason bees are a solitary species. They are also more efficient pollinators. They do not produce honey and require virtually no care. Mason bees are also very friendly, rarely sting, and cause no damage to structures like carpenter bees do.
These attributes make mason bees an ideal candidate for a “set it and forget it” product approach.
The Solution
A single solution is impossible, and like many other global issues, this problem needs to be addressed in many different ways.
This solution offers consumers an opportunity to facilitate bees from their home while demanding little to no experience of caring for bees.
What Is Out There Now?
There are current solutions tailored specifically to mason bees, however they are limited in style. Very few of these solutions are designed for mass production. They also only serve a primary function of housing the bees, they do nothing to support the bee in any other way.
Target Personas
Rachel: Age 25
Works and lives in an urban city. Environmentally conscious. Enjoys nature but has limited access. Cares for houseplants.
Jeff: Age 63
Lives in suburban/ rural area. Avid gardener who is meticulous about care and upkeep.
Inspiration
The style and aesthetic research for the product was heavily driven by organic forms. The idea behind this was that the bee house would blend into its environment and not cause clutter and distraction in a natural space.
After Initial concept generation, research began to focus on various fungi species and their vertical relation to surfaces such as trees. This research became key inspiration for the final form and behavior of the product.
A wall mounted concept with the option to mount to a trellis was ultimately chosen. This option gives the user a large amount of choice in how they can configure a single unit or arrange many units together. The chosen concept would also allow for screw mounting on many surfaces like trees and facades.
Organic themes as well as more traditional beehive concepts were considered.
The entire product was designed for manufacturing in mind.
The two main units dovetail together allowing for easy assembly for the user.
The unit includes 5 molded parts, 8 assembly screws, and 2 screws for mounting purposes.
Multiple color options were created to appeal to a variety of styles and user preferences while maintaining a natural palette.
The product is comprised of two main units, the top unit which is a planter, and the bottom unit which is the bee housing.
A single mounting screw is needed in order to affix the unit to surfaces like trees and walls. The screw enters the surface at an angle which clamps the back of the unit against the mounting surface.
An adapter for trellis mounting is also including. The “T” shape can be inserted inserted horizontally between the trellis rungs, then the unit rotates 90 degrees in order to orient the product and lock it into place.
Mason Bees are able live and nest in the lower portion of the product.
They are protected from the elements and have all they require to live happy lives.