Here in (most of) Oz there is no break in brood rearing for winter. 
Depending on the floral resources available in a particular year, in a 
particular spot, bees can be rearing large amounts of brood.  One 
memorable year we had bees swarming in the middle of winter, a site that 
can on occasion have snow.

So presumably cessation and resumption of brood rearing is a tad more 
complicated than suggested.

A pollen dearth here can lead to bees not rearing brood, but the queen 
in my experience, continues to lay.

Geoff Manning

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