Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association

Home
United States
Biloxi, MS
Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association

Call Directions Website Contact the organization

MGCBA meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month 6:00pm in the MGCCC Warner Peterson Administration Building We will meet in the Campus Police Building, DDCP Room 104.

We have speakers available for classes and events and some of our members also can perform swarm removal or honey bee removal from structures. At our meetings we generally discuss any current problems we face as beekeepers, from current pest and infections to local and state legislative issues. Every year, we have a honey booth during the Jackson County Fair. We sell local honey, honey straws, candies and give away free information on beekeeping and honeybees. Some of our beekeepers also sell their Honey at the local farmers markets and health food stores. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:00 pm. The meeting location is at MS Gulf Coast Community College, Jackson County Campus - 2300 US-90, Gautier, MS 39553. Restroom facilities are available if needed. For our 'newbees' who may be interested in MGCBA membership, annual dues are $25.00 which if paid before the meeting begins, makes you eligible for our monthly door prize drawings at the conclusion of the meetings. As a paid member, you are also able to borrow club equipment (i.e. extractors, decapping knives, sieves, etc.). We offer a one-on-one mentorship program for interested members. Looking forward to fellowship and apicultural education with each of you.

10/28/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CZZkuTsZv/?mibextid=wwXIfr

10/24/2026

🐝🍯🎡 THAT’S A WRAP… ALMOST! LAST DAY AT THE FAIR! 🎡🍯🐝

What an incredible week at the Jackson County Blue Ribbon Fair! 💛

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association wants to give a HUGE, heartfelt THANK YOU to our wonderful Gulf Coast community!

To everyone who stopped by our booth, purchased local honey, asked questions, admired our live bees, or simply shared a smile YOU made this week so special! 🐝

We loved sharing our passion for honeybees, educating future beekeepers, and seeing so many curious little faces learning about these amazing pollinators! 👑🐝

💛 A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR GCBA VOLUNTEERS! 💛

Behind every successful booth is a hardworking group of volunteers! From setting up displays and answering questions to selling honey and sharing their beekeeping knowledge, our volunteers gave their time and energy all week long.

We couldn’t have done it without you! 👏🍯

🚨🍯 LAST CALL FOR LOCAL HONEY! 🍯🚨

We have approximately 20 QUARTS LEFT!

🐝 100% Pure Mississippi Honey
🍯 QUARTS $20 EACH

If you haven’t grabbed yours yet, come see us before the fair ends!

📍 Jackson County Blue Ribbon Fair Pascagoula, MS
📅 Saturday, October 24 LAST DAY!

From our hives to your homes, thank you for supporting local beekeepers and helping us spread the BUZZ about honeybees! 💛

🐝 Come for the honey. Stay for the community! 🍯

10/21/2026

🎡🍎🐝 CANDY APPLES, COTTON CANDY & SUGAR-HIGH HONEYBEES! 🍯😂

It’s DAY 4 of the Jackson County Blue Ribbon Fair, and we’ve got SUGAR on the brain! 🍭

While you’re enjoying those sticky candy apples, funnel cakes, and cotton candy, did you know BEEKEEPERS HAVE A SWEET TOOTH TOO? Well… sort of! 😂

🐝 FUN FAIR FACT: Sometimes beekeepers actually feed their bees SUGAR WATER!

Yep! When Mother Nature closes the all-you-can-eat nectar buffet, beekeepers may step in with a little homemade syrup to help their colonies.

🍯 Here’s the sweet scoop:

🌸 Spring: Beekeepers often use a 1:1 sugar-to-water syrup to support colonies when nectar is scarce.

🍂 Fall: A thicker 2:1 sugar-to-water syrup can help colonies build up food stores before winter.

🐝 But hold the candy apples! Bees don’t need caramel, food coloring, powdered sugar toppings, or leftover fair treats! 😂 Plain white sugar and clean water are the usual ingredients.

And remember, sugar syrup is supplemental feed not a replacement for the natural nectar and pollen bees collect!

⚠️ Beekeepers should also avoid feeding syrup while honey supers intended for harvest are on the hive, so sugar syrup doesn’t end up in honey sold to customers.

🎡 COME SEE US AT THE FAIR!

📍 Jackson County Blue Ribbon Fair — Pascagoula, MS
📅 October 18–25, 2026

Stop by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association booth, see our LIVE bees, grab some local honey, and ask us your sweetest beekeeping questions!

🍎 You enjoy the candy apples. We’ll keep the bees away from the concession stand! 😂🐝

👇 FAIR FOOD SHOWDOWN: Candy apples 🍎 or funnel cakes 🍰 — which one gets your vote?

10/20/2026

🍯🍯 Honey! Honey! Honey! 🐝🐝

Looking for some delicious 100% PURE LOCAL MISSISSIPPI HONEY? 💛

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association has honey for sale at the Jackson County Blue Ribbon Fair! 🎡

🍯 OUR HONEY PRICES:

🐝 Quarts — $20
🐝 Pints — $10
🐝 Honey Bears — $5
🐝 Honey Sticks — 3 for $1

There’s nothing quite like the golden goodness of locally produced honey! And every purchase helps support our Gulf Coast beekeeping community. 💛

📍 Jackson County Fairgrounds — Pascagoula, MS
📅 October 18–25, 2026

Stop by our booth, grab a jar (or two 😉), meet our local beekeepers, and learn a little about the hardworking honeybees behind every drop!

🐝 BEE SURE TO STOCK UP WHILE YOU’RE HERE! 🍯

👇 How do YOU enjoy your honey? In your coffee, on biscuits, or straight from the spoon? 😋

10/19/2026

🐝🎡 WE’RE BUZZING AT THE JACKSON COUNTY BLUE RIBBON FAIR! 🍯💛

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association is excited to be part of the 2026 Jackson County Blue Ribbon Fair!

📅 October 18–25, 2026
📍 2902 Shortcut Road, Pascagoula, MS

🐝 Come see our LIVE observation hive and get an up-close look at the fascinating world of honeybees!

🍯 Shop delicious local Mississippi honey, honey sticks, and other bee-related goodies!

👑 Learn about the queen, her colony, and why honeybees are so important to our environment.

💛 Bring the kids! We love introducing the next generation to the wonderful world of beekeeping.

Whether you’re a seasoned beekeeper, thinking about getting your first hive, or simply LOVE honey, we’d love to meet you!

📸 Here’s a little peek at our booth!

🐝 Come say hello, meet our beekeepers, and see what all the BUZZ is about!

10/19/2026

We are having our annual local honey sales at Jackson County Fair. Come visit by and say “Hi!”

10/08/2026

🌀🐝 🚨GULF COAST BEEKEEPERS ARE YOUR HIVES STORM READY? 🌀🐝🚨

Living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast means hurricane preparation isn’t just for our homes our bees need a plan too.

With tropical weather being watched in the Gulf, now is a good time to walk through your bee yard before conditions deteriorate.

🐝 STRAP THEM DOWN
A brick on the lid isn’t enough for hurricane-force winds. Use heavy duty ratchet straps to secure the hive bodies, bottom board and lid together. If possible, secure the entire hive to its stand.

🌊 THINK ABOUT FLOODING
If your apiary is in a low lying area, don’t wait until water is rising to make a plan. Move vulnerable colonies to higher ground before the storm if necessary.

🌧️ KEEP WATER OUT
Make sure lids are secure and hives with solid bottom boards have a slight forward tilt so rain can drain instead of collecting inside.

💨 REDUCE THE SAIL
Remove unnecessary empty boxes or equipment that adds height and gives strong winds more surface area to grab.

🍯 CHECK FOOD
Several days of heavy rain and wind can keep bees from foraging, and storms can strip away blooms. Make sure colonies have adequate stores going into the storm.

⚠️ MOST IMPORTANTLY — YOUR SAFETY COMES FIRST. ⚠️
Prepare your bees early. Once dangerous weather arrives, leave the hives alone and take care of yourself and your family.

After the storm passes, we’ll talk about what to check before opening those hives again.

🐝💛 MGCBA — Beekeepers helping beekeepers.

👇 Gulf Coast beekeepers: What’s one thing YOU do to prepare your apiary for a hurricane?

10/07/2026

EVERY BEEKEEPER NEEDS A BEEKEEPER

You can read the books. Watch the videos. Study the pictures.

But there’s nothing quite like having an experienced beekeeper standing beside you when you open a hive.

Today, one of our Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association mentors came out to help with a full inspection of three of my hives.

We worked through each colony together, talked about what we were seeing, what looked good, what needed attention, and we even found one of my queens! 👑🐝

That’s what a beekeeping community is all about.

Beekeeping will always give you something new to learn, and having someone you can call, ask questions, compare notes with, or invite into your bee yard can make all the difference.

🐝 If you’re new to beekeeping, find a mentor.
🐝 If you’re experienced, consider becoming one.
🐝 And no matter how long you’ve kept bees, build yourself a community.

None of us has to figure it all out alone.

That’s one of the things we love about the Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association learning from one another and helping our local beekeepers succeed!

Good bees are wonderful. Good bee people are pretty special too. 🧑‍🌾🐝

10/06/2026

🐝 INTERESTED IN BEEKEEPING? COME BEE WITH US! 🍯

Whether you already have hives, are thinking about getting your first bees, or simply want to learn more you’re welcome!

Join the Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association for our monthly meeting!

📅 2nd Tuesday of every month
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Warner Peterson Administration Building
2300 US 90 Gautier, MS Jackson County

🐝 You do not have to own bees to attend!

Come meet local beekeepers, ask questions, learn something new and become part of our Gulf Coast beekeeping community. 💛

Have questions? Send us a message!

Come for the bees. Stay for the community.

-MGCBA

10/05/2026

🐝 The MONTHLY BUZZ 🍯

Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeeping Association October 2026 Edition 🎃

HI folks! 👋👩‍🌾 October may say fall 🍂 on the calendar, but here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, our bees are still BUSY! 🐝

Goldenrod is beginning its fall bloom in South Mississippi, asters are coming on, and our colonies are raising the bees that will help carry them through winter.

So what’s on our October checklist?

🍯 CHECK FOOD STORES
Make sure colonies are going into winter with plenty of honey. Mississippi State recommends roughly 65–70 pounds of stored honey by the end of October. If they’re light, we still have time during our warm weather to supplement their stores.

🕷️ KNOW YOUR VARROA NUMBERS
September and October are critical months for producing healthy winter bees. High mite loads now can mean sick, short-lived winter bees later. Test don’t guess and treat when necessary according to the product label.

🐝 CHECK COLONY STRENGTH
Going into winter, MSU recommends a minimum cluster of about 8 deep frames covered with adult bees. Weak colonies deserve attention now rather than waiting until winter.

🚪 REDUCE & CONSOLIDATE
Reduce entrances as our weather cools to help prevent robbing and unwanted visitors. Once the fall flow ends, remove excess empty boxes the colony doesn’t need to defend.

🪲 KEEP WATCHING THOSE BEETLES
This is the Gulf Coast small hive beetles don’t magically disappear because it’s October! Keep traps working, don’t leave excess unprotected comb, and keep colonies strong.

🌼 WHAT’S BLOOMING?
Watch for goldenrod and asters around South Mississippi. Your bees will tell you what’s happening locally better than any calendar will.

🐝 THE OCTOBER GOAL:
Strong bees. Low mites. Plenty of food. Right-sized hives.

That’s it. Don’t overthink October just give your colonies what they need to head toward winter strong.

👇 Gulf Coast beekeepers: What are your bees working right now? Drop your county and what’s blooming!

Address

Biloxi, MS
39553

Telephone

+12812172583

Website

https://youtube.com/@msgulfcoastbeekeepersassoc8937?si=HCxqOY-JMiOPuZTM

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mississippi Gulf Coast Beekeepers Association posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.