This week I was asked to help catch a swarm. It was at the bottom of some bamboo which was a bit of a faff with all the bees mixed in the canes, but the colony was hived OK in one of my empty nucs which is on loan for the time being. However the owner knows nothing about bees and was given the colony in a nest box in the winter. The nest box is nailed shut and has never been opened. I am amazed as to the number of bees that came out of it. He informed me that he has been feeding it honey over the winter and into spring. Alarm bells rang.

My worry is that of foul brood disease being transferred to the colony and my nuc from potentially infected honey. (I read somewhere recently about honey importers being implicated in the spread of disease to local bees robbing from around the processing plant).

My gloves have been binned of course, what should I do about my nuc, clothing, the sheet I used etc. Should I do anything about the bees?

Any suggestions?