town in Alabama
Honey bee forage in Sylvania, Alabama
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sylvania?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sylvania, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, cotton; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- 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
- Soybeans: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Sylvania
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.13 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SE.
How Sylvania ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 94th | 58th | 21st |
| Alabama | 91st | 93rd | 95th | 70th |
| Southwestern Appalachians | 95th | 92nd | 96th | 14th |
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 Sylvania: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rainsville 5 mi · Powell 6 mi · Henagar 6 mi · Dutton 7 mi · Pine Ridge 8 mi · Shiloh 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 Sylvania (34.562, -85.8047); 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.