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Honey bee forage in Longboat Key, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 34% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (20th). Expect a dearth from early Oct to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in Longboat Key?
- 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
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Longboat Key, 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Corn: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi NE, 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 Longboat Key
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 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 72% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Longboat Key ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 50th | 16th | 31st |
| Florida | 34th | 20th | 78th | 35th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 34th | 10th | 76th | 40th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Longboat Key: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bayshore Gardens 5 mi · Whitfield 5 mi · Cortez 5 mi · Bradenton Beach 5 mi · South Bradenton 6 mi · West Bradenton 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 Longboat Key (27.4005, -82.6442); 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.