community in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Spruce Pine, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (63rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Spruce Pine?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Spruce Pine, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 97 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jul (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 Spruce Pine
Mostly: East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest; Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.19 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SW.
How Spruce Pine ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 94th | 43rd | 17th |
| Alabama | 87th | 93rd | 89th | 63rd |
| Southeastern Plains | 82nd | 93rd | 74th | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Spruce Pine: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Phil Campbell 3 mi · Russellville 8 mi · Belgreen 9 mi · Bear Creek 10 mi · Hackleburg 10 mi · Hodges 12 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 Spruce Pine (34.3929, -87.7296); 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.