community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Cortez, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (52nd percentile) and lowest in fall (30th). Expect a dearth from early Jul to late Nov.
When is the honey flow in Cortez?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Mar 31, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion)
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Nov 30
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cortez, 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 Jan 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, 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
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SE, blooms early Apr – early May (grown 1 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 Cortez
Mostly: Open water; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; open water 0.06 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 54% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Cortez ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 63rd | 10th | 27th |
| Florida | 63rd | 47th | 52nd | 30th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 62nd | 40th | 53rd | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Cortez: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bradenton Beach 2 mi · West Bradenton 4 mi · Holmes Beach 4 mi · Longboat Key 5 mi · South Bradenton 5 mi · Bradenton 6 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 Cortez (27.4677, -82.6687); 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.