Modular Bee Nesting Board With Projecting Tubes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nesting structures for solitary bees are inflexible in cavity depth adjustment and feature grooves that decrease attractivity due to their constant tubular cavity length and groove patterns, which are recognized by the bees as unattractive nesting sites.
Innovation Solution
A modular nesting device comprising a board with holes and projecting tube members that can be stacked to form tubular cavities of variable depth, allowing for adjustable cavity length and minimizing groove recognition by bees, using boards with identical hole and tube configurations for efficient manufacturing and maximizing cavity number and attractiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If longitudinal grooves are used to form tubular cavities in nesting structures, then the cavity structure is defined and formed, but the groove patterns are recognized by bees as unattractive nesting sites, decreasing cavity attractivity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the groove patterns from the nesting structure interior surface. By extracting the grooves that were previously present, the patent eliminates the visual cues that bees recognize as unattractive, while still maintaining the tubular cavity structure through the projection of tube members from the exterior surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of forming cavities by creating grooves on the interior surface, the invention inverts the approach by projecting tube members from the exterior surface inward. This reversal of the formation method eliminates the harmful groove patterns while achieving the same cavity-forming function.
2Ease of manufacture
If the nesting structure uses a fixed cubic shape with superimposed square nest elements, then the structure is simple to manufacture, but the cavity depth cannot be adjusted to match different space availability
Solution Approach 1:
The nesting structure is divided into multiple identical boards, each containing holes and projecting tube members. These segmented boards can be stacked vertically to form the complete nesting structure, allowing the cavity depth to be adjusted by changing the number of boards while maintaining the simplicity of individual component manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces adjustability to the otherwise fixed cubic structure by allowing the number of stacked boards to vary. This dynamic configuration enables the cavity depth to adapt to different space availability requirements while each individual board remains a simple, standardized component.
3Ease of operation
If tube members are arranged with voids between adjacent tube members on the same board, then ventilation and access are improved, but the structural integrity of the board may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The board design incorporates voids between adjacent tube members in specific locations where they are needed for ventilation and bee access, while maintaining solid material in other areas to preserve structural integrity. The local arrangement of voids and solid material is optimized to balance these competing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A board which can be used to form a beehive for solitary bees and/or wasps, the board including a first surface and a second surface which is opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface having a plurality of holes defined therein, wherein the board further includes a plurality of individual tube members which project from the second surface and wherein each tube member is aligned with a respective hole defined in the first surface so that a bee can pass via a hole into the tube member which is aligned with the hole and wherein the plurality of tube members are arranged such that there are voids between adjacent tube members. There is further provided a device (beehive) which includes a plurality of the boards; and a method of forming a device (beehive) which includes a plurality of the boards.