community in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Penton, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in summer (57th percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: cotton (nearest 1.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 2.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Penton?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Penton, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, cotton; 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; 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
- Cotton: about 119 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 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 Penton
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Penton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 44th | 77th | 20th | 2nd |
| Alabama | 44th | 54th | 57th | 17th |
| Piedmont | 32nd | 35th | 24th | 7th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Penton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Abanda 6 mi · Five Points 7 mi · La Fayette 9 mi · Wadley 10 mi · Daviston 10 mi · Fredonia 11 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 Penton (33.0098, -85.4748); 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.