It’s no secret that the future of our fragile eco-system lies quite precariously on the conservation of the humble bumblebee. To save the dwindling bee population in urban areas eco-technologists have recently launched a global citizen science project called Open Source Beehives.

The campaign urges citizens to take bee conservation into their own hands (and backyards) using smart, 3D printable beehives. Currently seeking funding through Indiegogo, for just $15 you can download and print a beehive to be installed in your backyard. For a little bit more you can opt to have a flatpack version delivered straight to your front door, and for $600 you will be gifted a sensor kit to install inside the beehive. The sensors transmit invaluable data to citizen project The Smart Citizen Kit, to be used to investigate potential reasons for the bees' dwindling numbers.

A collaborative project between Fab Lab Barcelona, Denver based Open Tech Collaborative, and Brussels venture Valldaura, the project highlights concerns over our treasured bumblebee. Much like Sky Hive and Bee Museum before it, Open Source Beehives is yet another effort to build buzz around the threat of a declining bee population