In collaboration with engineers and scientists, Dutch design firm Atelier Boelhouwer has developed an artificial flower that serves as an emergency food source for insects.
“The relationship between flowers and insects is one of the most fascinating connections found in nature,” said Atelier Boelhouwer in a statement. “Flowers evolved to serve insects and insects evolved to serve flowers simultaneously. Nowadays however, with all of us living in urban jungles made of concrete and stone, the presence of flowers has become something less natural in our cityscapes. This lack of flowering has resulted in a drastic insect population decline.”
With the insect population declining in many parts of the world due to various factors such as habitat loss, Atelier Boelhouwer has set out to help insects flourish again by creating 5 artificial flowers made specifically to attract bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths for a project titled Food for Buzz.
Each flower is made of a series of screen printed polyester petals, 3D printed stem, and a small 3D printed container placed at the centre of the flower,
Using the container to collect rainwater, the water is then transported down the stem and mixed together with sugar inside a tank. The mixture is then automatically pumped back up to feed the insects.
Working with entomologists, Atelier Boelhouwer has customized each flower for different insect species. With the containers adjusted to the length of the intended insects’ mouthpart, the flower petals are specifically patterned and coloured to attract a certain species of insect.
“These flowers aim to take over all unused empty spots and therefore bringing back the buzzing and fluttering sounds of those small creatures we can’t ever miss in our cityscape,” added Atelier Boelhouwer.
To learn more about Food for Buzz, click the link below.
