Yes you need some in the spring.
I could have used a couple around the first of April.
Here is what I plan to do this year.
Get me a Queen rearing kit. Raise some Queens in June, July, and/or August.
You can re Queen as late as October, But Sept. would be better.
You will be starting into the low end of the season when the Queen doesn't lay very much.
Then she will be there fresh and ready to go early next spring.
Re Queen now or earlier and she is not as young and fresh next spring.
Or you can make some 8 frame nucs in the fall and have an early queen next spring.
Use Queens from your nucs and combine the bees with a weak colony.
Or if you want to increase and don't use all your Queens, there it is.
And/or take brood from the nucs to boost weak ones. and the list goes on.
Sale some nucs., and so on.
No matter how early you order, unless from Hawaii or some place where they rear queens year round. You'll not get one that was hatched that spring. Hope this helps. :) ;)
doak