Bees in Feeding Box

[Donovan J]

I just installed my new package for season 2 of beekeeping and I have a medium box on top with a quart mason jar as a feeder flipped over on top of the hole in the inner cover. I went out to check how much food was left today and lifted the cover and there was a ton of bees in the box and they all started humming and flying everywhere. I managed to put the cover back on before I got bombarded. I went back out this evening and they seemed to be fine

[iddee]

You NEVER want to give the bees open space. They will build wild comb in it every time. Cover enough of the hole to where the jar top closes off access to the upper box.

[Seeb]

I had the same question Xerox - thanks for asking

[Donovan J]

I wanted to have a hole open so they could have ventilation but I'll close it up now. Thanks for the input

[CoolBees]

Xerox - I feed the bees the exact way you describe. I've never had bees "move" into the empty upper box, even thought they can get up there. Iddee's right, it "can" happen. I'd keep an eye on them, but I like having a small open space next to the jar, for the odd bee that gets stuck up there when I'm refilling. If they started to move en-mass up there, then I'd close it off, and/or give them more room below.