No comparising possible between the small scale beeks here in Belgium and de beeks in US. A beek with > 50 colonies is a big one here. Nevertheless we found a relationship between a good pollen supply (quantity and quality) till winter and a good resistance aganst varroa and other attackers. We have an own garden with mostely late flowering plants and trees and during more than 10 years we work together with neighbours and farmers to support our bees with late flowering plants. For the ninth year in row we don't treat against varroa and with succes. Last winter f.e. 1 loss for 55 colonies. Strong healthy winterbees can resist a high pressure of varroa or other deseases.
With the climate change we get here earlier, warmer springs but also warmer falls. Plants flower earlier, good for the spring en summer crop. But de gap between summer and winter becomes bigger and bigger and poorer and poorer for the winterbees. No plant or tree that flowers here twice a year. In places with no food for the bees after summer, the winterbees are formed from august on and have to live 7 months to reach the willows. When you can provide your colonies a good pollen dish till late november, strong winterbees will be formed much later and have to do only 5 months till willowtime. A great difference. This is my way of (non-proffesional) beekeeping without any treatment.

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm