community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Lake Mack-Forest Hills, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in fall (58th percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Expect a dearth from early Oct to late Nov.
When is the honey flow in Lake Mack-Forest Hills?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Jul 31
- Dearth: Oct 1 to Nov 30
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Mack-Forest Hills, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi N, 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 Lake Mack-Forest Hills
Mostly: Central Florida Pine Flatwoods; Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock; Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.48 mi SW.
How Lake Mack-Forest Hills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 46th | 59th | 8th | 44th |
| Florida | 33rd | 37th | 31st | 58th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 33rd | 28th | 30th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Mack-Forest Hills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pine Lakes 4 mi · West DeLand 4 mi · Lake Kathryn 5 mi · DeLand Southwest 6 mi · DeLand 7 mi · North DeLand 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 Lake Mack-Forest Hills (29.0005, -81.4063); 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.