Modular Covered Bee Waterer with Honeycomb Landing Insert

This is a practical modular 3D-printable waterer designed to give bees a safer place to drink.

The shallow tray contains a honeycomb-style landing insert. The raised hexagonal platforms provide stable standing surfaces, allowing bees to drink from the narrow water channels between them. This helps reduce the risk of bees slipping into deeper open water.

The waterer is designed as a modular system. The tray, honeycomb landing insert, support pillars, and rain cover can be printed separately. This makes the model easier to print, assemble, clean, maintain, and adapt.

A raised roof covers the drinking area while keeping the sides open for bee access. The cover helps protect the water from rain, falling leaves, debris, and direct summer sunlight. The sheltered design may also make direct access less convenient for larger flying insects, but it is not intended to be a hornet-proof or wasp-proof barrier.

## Features

- Modular multi-part design

- Shallow circular water tray

- Removable honeycomb landing insert

- Raised, flat landing platforms for bees

- Narrow water channels between the platforms

- Open sides for easy bee access

- Raised rain and shade cover

- Protection against rain, leaves, debris, and overheating

- Easier cleaning and maintenance

- Suitable for PETG or ASA for outdoor use

- Designed for support-free printing where possible

## Dimensions

- Outer tray diameter: 130 mm

- Inner water area: approximately 120 mm

- Recommended water level: 3–4 mm

- Honeycomb landing insert height: 5–6 mm

- Honeycomb platform size: 18 × 20.8 mm

## Printing recommendations

- Material: PETG recommended; ASA can be used for improved UV resistance

- Layer height: 0.20 mm

- Nozzle: 0.4 mm

- Perimeters: 3–4

- Infill: 15–20%

- Supports: not required for the tray and landing insert

- Print the roof in PETG or ASA for outdoor durability

## Safety note

This model is designed for clean water only. Do not use honey, syrup, or sugar water in the open tray, as this can attract unwanted insects.

The roof is intended as weather protection and a sheltered access feature. It does not provide guaranteed protection against wasps, hornets, or other flying predators and must not be used as a replacement for a dedicated hive entrance protection system.