city in Florida
Honey bee forage in Cocoa, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (88th percentile) and lowest in spring (52nd). Expect a dearth from early Oct to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in Cocoa?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Dearth: Oct 1 to Dec 15
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cocoa, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, 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
- Oranges: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SW, blooms late Feb – early 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 Cocoa
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Central Florida Pine Wet Flatwoods.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.21 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 70% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Cocoa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 66th | 23rd | 51st |
| Florida | 73rd | 52nd | 88th | 75th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 74th | 47th | 88th | 81st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Cocoa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cocoa West 1 mi · Tropical Park 3 mi · Rockledge 4 mi · Sharpes 5 mi · West Canaveral Groves 5 mi · North Merritt Island 7 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 Cocoa (28.3766, -80.7633); 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.