Our bees have plenty of pine available, but also take a great deal of 
baccharis (Baccharis halimifolia L.)  The brazilian green propolis is a 
species of Baccharis that looks identical (saw a video somewhere), 
though don't know if the properties are equally interesting.

I stopped scraping propolis from hives and selecting against propolizing 
bees about 10 years ago.  Don't know if it has been a factor in this 
strain of bees surviving without chemicals; we are geographically 
isolated and have imported a diversity of queens over the years from 
stock selected for disease/pest resistance.

My empty equipment usually has bees harvesting propolis from it, it 
seems an important resource for them.

Carolyn in the SC Piedmont, where we've had more sub-fifty (F) days this 
winter than in the last 20 years.  I'm glad the thrifty Russian stock 
that likes to fly at 45 degrees has dominated my 'survivor' stock.

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