I think you have to be lucky as well ... there are a lot of factors that lead to heavy mite loads ... the area where your apiary is, the proximity of other bees - potentially with infestation, the characteristics of the bees you keep and their general health, as well as how you manage your colonies. Many of these factors you have absolutely no influence over and any one of them can lead to a colony being overcome. It's why it is essential to check the mite load regularly. It does not need to be an invasive procedure, all you need is a frame out quickly and a sample of bees off it, a sugar roll takes a few minutes if you are organised.
I don't manipulate to force brood breaks ... indeed, I don't force my bees to do anything. My regime, as I've said earlier, is minimal interference - not let alone - but I inspect only as far as is necessary. In the season I need to know if there are queen cells and if there are these will, probably, be the only major manipulations I carry out. I look for signs of brood disease and that they have sufficient room and stores but I'm not into queen chasing or looking at every frame. When I've found what I need to know that's it. I disturb the brood nest as little as possible.
... I believe intensive inspections are invasive and stress the bees .. stressed bees I think are more susceptible to disease and I suspect they are distracted from other tasks ... like cleaning and dealing with varroa and all the other general functions of the colony. They don't like repairing the brood nest and if that is a task they have to do then it takes them away from working on other functions. I do, sometimes, feel that too much emphasis is placed on new beekeepers to get them to look at everything in detail, every frame, every side, desperate to see the queen - yes, you need to know the colony has brood and is healthy and they have sufficient stores - but every frame you take out of the hive has a cost impact on the bees.
I'm foundationless and they build what comb they want - including drone comb - if they want drones they can have them - as many as they see fit. I don't swap out combs unless they are really manky and even then I will do it gradually. I've never seen the need for shook swarms or spring cleaning - the bees don't do it in the wild so why should I inflict this on them ?
I don't know what it is about my bees, their environment or the way I look after them that allows me to remain treatment free and the colonies to manage the varroa without succumbing to colony failure or disease but something is working and I'm just happy that luck runs my way. I've taken a fair amount of honey off this year which will pay for my hobby - I'm happy with what they have produced and they still have enough left to set them up for winter.
I feel very fortunate.
