I 3D printed a water station for the thirsty bees near my home

Published Aug 11, 2026, 8:45 AM EDT Patrick Campanale has been in the tech space for well over a decade, specializing in PC/gaming news and reviews, as well as maker-focused products to build small businesses. With a start in technology back in 2010 surrounding the Palm/webOS ecosystem, Patrick spent his formative years developing mobile applications as well as blogging for various publications, eventually leading to starting his own website in 2014. After running a technology blog for a few years, he stepped out of that role and into the world of high-end custom PC manufacturing and building, with a focus on YouTube video production and overclocking. Then, six years ago, Patrick joined the 9to5Toys team as an editor/writer/reviewer with over 14,000 articles being published there there, ranging from deals and roundups to in-depth reviews on the latest technology, video games, 3D printers, and more. In his free time, Patrick loves to create projects from wood using various robots and methods, including leveraging the technologies of CNCs and lasers. If Patrick isn't working on a computer or playing video games, he's likely in his 2-car garage workshop creating something unique. In addition to all this, Patrick is also a youth pastor at his local church where he feels God has called him to serve, and he loves every minute of it. I love looking outside in my backyard to see the wildlife buzzing about. From bees to squirrels, rabbits, birds, and more, my little 0.3-acre yard always has something going on. When I found out that bees need a safe place to drink water from, I knew what I had to do—3D print a watering station just for them. Bees need somewhere safe to land while drinking Flowers are great for pollen, but that's not all bees need I've never actually looked into it, but I just imagined that the pollen gave bees everything they needed. Now that I think more about it, I realize that it definitely couldn't be the case—and it isn't. Bees need water just like we do, but they need a safe place to land in order to drink, which also makes sense. As more and more homes are built, and more natural habitats are torn down, bees simply need a place to drink now more than ever. While many yards have things like bird baths and other forms of water, bees are delicate creatures and need something a little more accommodating, which is why I 3D printed a little watering station for bees to put in my yard. You see, for living in the middle of a suburb in Tennessee, there's actually a ton of wildlife in my yard. My wife and I are in a neighborhood on around 0.3 acres, but there are always birds, bees, squirrels, rabbits, and more roaming around the backyard. So, it's only natural that once I found out how to help bees out, I put the watering station in the garden area of my yard. For less than $1, I made a safe haven for bees and other insects The print was easy and it's the perfect DIY solution Credit: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek Some 3D prints can be big and expensive, and others can be difficult to print because of supports or overhangs. The 3D-printed bee watering station I chose is none of those things. It realistically took under $1 of filament to make, possibly even less depending on how much you pay for your filament. The print itself took under two hours on my Elegoo Centauri 2, which handled the print no problem. The model I chose is a more manual model that requires my wife or me to fill it up—or the rain or dew. Either way, there's no way to keep it filled automatically. But, the print was cute (my wife liked that), and it was quick to print (which I liked). So, I printed it and put it outside in the garden. The model I printed has an area underneath for a stake if you want to put it up high somewhere, but I just chose to set it on a horizontal surface instead. There are other models out there, though, ones that have a hookup for a water bottle so that way it can stay full for much longer. That's what I love about the 3D printing community—if you have an idea of something you want to make, chances are it already exists somewhere. So, if you don't like the specific model I printed, that's fine, there are enough other models out there that you're sure to find one you like. It's easy to do something small that's such a big help All it takes is to fill the watering station every now and then Credit: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek This watering station isn't just to help the bees—though that's its main point. The watering station will help so many other insects and animals in the backyard. It's a safe place for flying animals to land and drink. Those that crawl can eventually reach it, too. I'm even considering putting a few more of these around the yard for things like the rabbits and squirrels to get to easily. Really, this opens up a whole new world for me. My wife and I love looking out in the yard and seeing all the wildlife out there. I've just never thought about 3D printing tools to help them in their own little daily lives before, and I'm so glad I have now. 3D printing doesn't just have to be about around-the-house objects I often think of 3D printing projects for around my house. I think typical around-the-house functional objects or toys are the normal things that come to mind when it comes to 3D printing projects. However, there are so many other things out there to make. This bee watering station is just one idea, but there are birdhouses, squirrel feeders, and so many other models online that can just be downloaded and printed with ease. So, if you're looking for something fun to do with your 3D printer this summer, why not use it to make a few wild animals' lives easier?