city in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in spring (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.3 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 3.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gulf Shores?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gulf Shores, 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 Feb 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, garden flowers, 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 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi NE, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi NE, blooms early Jun – late 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 Gulf Shores
Mostly: Open water; East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Wet Flatwoods; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi N; open water 0.07 mi N.
How Gulf Shores ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 72nd | 24th | 50th |
| Alabama | 77th | 40th | 66th | 98th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 62nd | 65th | 89th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Gulf Shores: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bon Secour 3 mi · Orange Beach 6 mi · Foley 9 mi · Elberta 9 mi · Magnolia Springs 10 mi · Perdido Beach 13 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 Gulf Shores (30.2772, -87.7024); 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.