Bad day - advice needed.

[thebhoy]

Not a good day for me but might make someone else laugh

Have a mating hive in garden with small quantity of bees - had previously moved 10 mini frames to a super cable tied onto top bar. At time I was doing this comb attached from a top to a bottom frame broke so I brought the broken comb and the bottom frame back home with the bees still covering it.

The comb had eggs, larvae and capped brood etc so I left them to it.

They raised a Queen and she hatched last Saturday, my thoughts were that if she can get mated, I will make up a mini hive with poly etc and a window and try to get them through the Winter indoors.
I was going to do the same with the small colony to give them a better chance.

Generally they are 'nice' bees and I open them up no protection, usually just a pair of shorts on as at home, could feed them, have them walking on hands arms and so on with no probs.

Well don't know what the score is today - opened them and they were off like exocets - took one on the belly (thought the fat and hair would protect me) now I've got three moobs - was bad enough with two.

Well left them to it as I needed to go to the out apiary to feed main and small colonies.(trying to get main colony to draw out some frames)

Opened my small colony - started to check frames and wasp flew out, couldn't see queen, went through again - only six super frames to check then I see a small group of bees on the mesh floor and when I moved them the queen was lying there dying.

Don't know whether I done the damage or the wasp but am gutted as they were good bees and a nice queen.

Had kept the entrance with about two bee space but reduced it down to one before leaving.

Decided to suit up when I got home and check the mating hive properly - it had stores, pollen and the queen still there.

I have a week and then I am away with work for another week so any advice appreciated.

Options:

1) Do I wait another couple of weeks to see if the queen starts laying and then combine the mating colony with the small colony and then set up for Winter in mini hive?

2) Combine them now before knowing if she has been mated and leave them to it for another month before moving into warmer accommodation as mentioned?

3) Combine all three together and dispose of virgin queen?

4) Give up beekeeping and take up something less stressful.

Looking forward to your helpful advice,

thebhoy