city in Florida
Honey bee forage in Lake City, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 2.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 3.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake City?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake City, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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
- Corn: about 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late 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 Lake City
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.27 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Lake City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 77th | 28th | 41st |
| Florida | 75th | 77th | 95th | 53rd |
| Southeastern Plains | 84th | 52nd | 58th | 94th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Lake City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Five Points 2 mi · Watertown 2 mi · White Springs 12 mi · Fort White 19 mi · Lake Butler 21 mi · Live Oak 22 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 Lake City (30.1886, -82.6422); 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.