community in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Shoal Creek, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (65th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Shoal Creek?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shoal Creek, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Shoal Creek
Mostly: Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi W; open water 0.08 mi E.
How Shoal Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 87th | 23rd | 43rd |
| Alabama | 77th | 76th | 65th | 96th |
| Ridge and Valley | 69th | 75th | 7th | 48th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% 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 Shoal Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Highland Lakes 3 mi · Brook Highland 4 mi · Eagle Point 4 mi · Vandiver 5 mi · Meadowbrook 6 mi · Dunnavant 6 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 Shoal Creek (33.4308, -86.6109); 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.