Pineywoods Beekeepers Association

“Service” is the stated theme of the Pineywoods Beekeepers Association, and it shows in how much this Lufkin club does beyond its own membership. Based in Angelina County in the heart of deep East Texas, the association meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month, 6:30-8:30pm, at the Chamber of Commerce in Lufkin, drawing beekeepers from the surrounding timber country — Diboll, Hudson, Huntington, Zavalla, and out toward Nacogdoches.

Education anchors the program. The club runs a Bee School for aspiring beekeepers, offers mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities for members working their first hives, and publishes practical articles on subjects like queen rearing, candy board feeders, and the labeling and sales regulations that kick in once you’re ready to sell honey. Monthly meetings carry ongoing educational content, and the club’s website adds videos and photo galleries for members who want to keep learning between sessions.

For the general public, the standout service is bee relocation. The association takes relocation requests through a dedicated form on its website, connecting residents with beekeepers who can move a colony instead of exterminating it — most valuable during East Texas swarm season, which generally runs March through June. Any terms for a removal are worked out with the individual beekeeper who takes the job.

Whether you’re bee-curious or running dozens of colonies in the pines, this is the local room worth joining. To learn more, get meeting details, or join, visit the club’s page or email wem@usa.com.