another winterizing question

[mkwarden]

I have a couple of beginner's winterizing questions.  This may be kind of silly, but I'm supposed to remove my Apistan strips in the next week or so.  I live in Maryland, and it's currently kind of cold.  Do I need to worry about chilling the hive if I open it to remove the strips?  Should I just wait for the warmest, sunniest day and hope for the best?
Second question, my hive is now two years old.  Do I need to requeen in the spring?  My bees made it through last winter despite my neglect.  Now that I'm actually paying attention I'm afraid they may not overwinter, in which case I will need bees and a queen.  How will I know if the colony is surviving without opening it (not a good idea in the winter) in time to know whether to order just a queen or a package of bees too?

[Finman]

I have a couple of beginner's winterizing questions.

 This may be kind of silly, but I'm supposed to remove my Apistan strips in the next week or so.

You can open hive and take strips away. It depends what to do how calm your bees are. Cold is cood, because they do not have time to defence.

Do I need to worry about chilling the hive

Dont worry

Second question, my hive is now two years old.  Do I need to requeen in the spring?  

Queen lives 3-5 year. Bees requeen hive themselves if it is necessary. It is nothing to do with wintering. I change every year queens because one year old lay eggs better and it does not swarm so easy like 2 yeard old.

If you have winter food enough, there is no use to disturp or open the hive during winter. There is nothing to be done.

[Anonymous]

MKWARDEN,
As Finman says, take the strips out when the time is up, don't worry about chilling the bees since there shouldn't be any brood at this time and the cold won't hurt mature bees.

A lot of people, includiing commercial beekeepers are requeening every year. Most do it in September for the reasons that Finman stated above. Just do it in the spring since it's too late to do it now.

Tom