community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Chaires, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: grapes (nearest 3.1 mi NW).
When is the honey flow in Chaires?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chaires, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Grapes: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi NW, blooms late Mar – 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 Chaires
Mostly: Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.32 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi N.
How Chaires ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 80th | 17th | 34th |
| Florida | 66th | 82nd | 79th | 38th |
| Southeastern Plains | 75th | 62nd | 33rd | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Chaires: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Capitola 3 mi · Lloyd 7 mi · Tallahassee 7 mi · Bradfordville 10 mi · Waukeenah 10 mi · Wacissa 10 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 Chaires (30.4442, -84.132); 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.