town in Alabama

Honey bee forage in West Point, Alabama

Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Alabama. Against other Alabama sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in West Point?

  • First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
  • Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
  • Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
  • Season ends: Aug 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Point, 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 25.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 2 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 West Point

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; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi S.

How West Point ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US75th95th40th22nd
Alabama86th94th87th73rd
Southwestern Appalachians90th94th79th18th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 76% 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 West Point: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

South Vinemont 6 mi · Cullman 8 mi · Falkville 10 mi · East Point 10 mi · Good Hope 10 mi · Addison 12 mi

All towns in Alabama · National map · How the scoring works

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 West Point (34.2387, -86.964); 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.