community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Black Hammock, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (15th). Expect a dearth from early Jul to late Nov.
When is the honey flow in Black Hammock?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), oranges, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Nov 30
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Black Hammock, 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 Feb 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): oranges, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, citrus; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); amber
- Whole season (March to November): oranges, summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, citrus; 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
- Oranges: about 29 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms late Feb – late Apr
- Citrus: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms late Feb – late Apr
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 Black Hammock
Mostly: Open water; Central Florida Pine Wet Flatwoods; Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi E.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Oranges: insecticides used on about 93% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Black Hammock ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 76th | 6th | 36th |
| Florida | 69th | 74th | 15th | 42nd |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 69th | 72nd | 13th | 46th |
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 Black Hammock: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oviedo 3 mi · Geneva 4 mi · Winter Springs 6 mi · Chuluota 6 mi · Midway 7 mi · University 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 Black Hammock (28.706, -81.1773); 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.