Today we seem to live in an age where everything seems to be geared to instant gratification, many off us seem to want everything ..... now!
Arguably (and quite probably) this isn't sustainable. Beekeeping necessarily dictates that we follow nature's time table. Some things take time, they cannot be rushed, forced or hurried.
For example adding a frame of emerging brood to a weaker colony will boost the recipient colony, but will take time to emerge, adding two such frames at the same time may over stretch the resources of the colony to keep the brood warm, resulting in some of the brood failing and having the reverse effect to that that was intended.
Queen rearing too early, before there are drones flying and there is a sustained nectar flow is present to sustain the adequet feeding of queen cells are doomed to failure and disappointment. Similarly adding an extra brood box or super too soon will put your bees under extra unnecessary pressure, they simply will not be able to maintain the required brood cluster temperature and will fail to develop at their full potential.
Looking to the end of the beekeeping season, treating bees for varroa too late in the season for them to benefit from raising the required number of overwintering bees free of the effects varroa infection will result in fewer colonies overwintering. Similarly feeding colonies syrup too late for them to be able to take it down reduce the moisture content to make it considered viable stores puts extra pressure on the bees and reduces our potential for success. I read this post today by an accomplished beekeeper and blogger, David explains this in more detail here "The Apiarist"
Beekeeping is all about knowing your bees, understanding their genetics, their strength, the climate, forecasted weather, predicted forage, disease prevention, preparation and so much more ..... probably most important of all is to have patience!
There's so much to learn, the new beekeeping season is so very close now, have fun and enjoy the journey...... but don't rush things.
Having said that, leave things like adding extra supers too late will result in lost swarms, timing is everything!
