city in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Clay, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clay?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clay, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Mar 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi SE, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Clay
Mostly: Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.35 mi NW.
How Clay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 89th | 28th | 43rd |
| Alabama | 78th | 81st | 73rd | 96th |
| Ridge and Valley | 71st | 82nd | 14th | 48th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 68% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Clay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pinson 3 mi · Trussville 4 mi · Grayson Valley 4 mi · Center Point 6 mi · Argo 6 mi · Remlap 8 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Clay (33.6966, -86.6082); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.