town in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Nectar, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (69th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Nectar?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Nectar, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 5 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 Nectar
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; open water 0.11 mi NW.
How Nectar ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 92nd | 33rd | 20th |
| Alabama | 79th | 86th | 80th | 69th |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 80th | 79th | 69th | 13th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Nectar: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cleveland 4 mi · Rosa 7 mi · Blountsville 7 mi · Locust Fork 7 mi · Garden City 8 mi · Allgood 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 Nectar (33.9798, -86.6206); 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.