New one to me...

[CeeJay]

Two weeks ago I check the hives for supers. One hive in particular was doing well, content, good incoming and outgoing flights, etc, about 80+ pounds to pull, almost all capped. ( I did not check the brood boxes, however)
The other day I go out to pull the supers, and the bees are all gone. 30 frames were sitting there, now fully capped and no bees around. I assume it must have just happened, as there were no signs of robbing (ripped cappings, etc), but there was no brood of any stage, eggs, Q cells, dead bodies, worms, nothing. The other hives in the line still had brood, activity, lots of honey, but this one was a ghost town.
I've been doing this about 6 years now, and thought I had found every possible way to kill a hive, or convince them to leave, but this has me stumped. No signs of swarming, disease, nothing.
What happened, what did I do?

 

[Outlander]

That's certainly very strange CeeJay. I’ve read about this type of thing happening, Well it sounds the same. CCD, Colony Collapse Disorder. Mostly happened in the US. Bee just up and go. What part the States you from.

 

[CeeJay]

I stopped hearing about CCD around the time I got into this, so I kind of thought it was on the decline. Some of the oldtimers I've talked to said that these sort of things have always happened occasionally, but I dont like that answer.
Another site suggested the possibility of nosema ceranae, which does not have the usual nosema apis symptoms. I'm looking into that now, but apparently N ceranae is pretty sympton-less, so I may just chalk it up to that. Or alien abduction.
From Ohio, right on the river.

 

[Outlander]

Hi CeeJay, I thought you may have had more replies by now. Certainly is strange and hope you can get to the bottom of it. Alien abduction, didn’t think that happened any more since the stealth became public knowledge, disinformation and all that. Anyway I thought you had to come from Arkansas for those sort of goings on. My Father in law was US Naval intelligence so always ripping on him about that, he's the only American I know gets my British sense of humor. Anyway good luck with those little green men.

 

[dpearce4]

poor bees all that probing. mind u they could probe the aliens with those stings lol

 

[Into the lions den]

That's certainly very strange CeeJay. I’ve read about this type of thing happening, Well it sounds the same. CCD, Colony Collapse Disorder. Mostly happened in the US. Bee just up and go. What part the States you from.

These are not the symptoms of CCD. That particualr issue happens to queenright colonies with a good amount of brood present.

This sounds from the description to be a simple queenless issue. Old bees burn out and vanish, and some, in the hopelessness of the situation, just decamp and try to join other colonies, attracted by the queenright pheromones.

No robbing is possibly a bit odd, but then we see the same sometimes, and its usually down to the weather being too poor for a frenzy to develop, or for there to be a significant flow on during the weather window. Bees will rarely rob in a serious way if there are natural source readily to hand.

 

[REDWOOD]

Beyond me, can't even think of a logical exclamation !!!

 

[Outlander]

These are not the symptoms of CCD. That particualr issue happens to queenright colonies with a good amount of brood present.

This sounds from the description to be a simple queenless issue. Old bees burn out and vanish, and some, in the hopelessness of the situation, just decamp and try to join other colonies, attracted by the queenright pheromones.

No robbing is possibly a bit odd, but then we see the same sometimes, and its usually down to the weather being too poor for a frenzy to develop, or for there to be a significant flow on during the weather window. Bees will rarely rob in a serious way if there are natural source readily to hand.

That's a sad way for a colony to end. I wonder if i'll ever harden up. I still don't no who will kill my queens when it has to happen.

 

[REDWOOD]

That's a sad way for a colony to end. I wonder if i'll ever harden up. I still don't no who will kill my queens when it has to happen.

you don't have to kill her move her into a nuc and if she's a good queen you could breed from her
If she needs killing ask old grumpy

 

[enrico]

I lost a hive in the uk five years ago exactly the same way.. Never did find out what happened, one day there, next day gone....no dead bees, loads of food, not a bee left in the hive. I put it down to ccd at the time but was laughed off this forum when I suggested it a few weeks back as apparently ccd is not here yet! Like you....only possible solution is aliens.....it was the creepiest thing that has happened to me in 30 years of bee keeping. I only wish I had taken photos!!
E

 

[Outlander]

Then that would be more equipment that needs to be delivered when she at work and I'm days off... Shhhh two nucs on there way from yorkshire soon

 

[CeeJay]

Lionsden - I guess it could be Qless, but we are starting to hit our summer dearth here, so I expected more robbing (could have caught it right before the others noticed, though). She was a couple years old anyway and probably in need of a replacing, so it all may be for the best...
enrico - sorry for your loss, but glad to know I'm not alone. "Creepy" is a good way to describe it.
I'm just hoping whatever it is/was will not jump hives, so I'm hoping Qless is all it is.

Thanks all