town in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Skyline, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Alabama. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Alabama sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 2.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Skyline?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Skyline, 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 Apr 3.
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, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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, 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 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 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 Skyline
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; open water 0.27 mi SW.
How Skyline ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 91st | 46th | 39th |
| Alabama | 80th | 84th | 90th | 93rd |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 82nd | 76th | 86th | 65th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Skyline: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pleasant Groves 6 mi · Hytop 7 mi · Hollywood 11 mi · Scottsboro 11 mi · Woodville 15 mi · Paint Rock 15 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 Skyline (34.7985, -86.1224); 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.