community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Nassau Village-Ratliff, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: dry beans (nearest 3.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Nassau Village-Ratliff?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Nassau Village-Ratliff, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; 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
- Dry beans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi E, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi E, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 2 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 Nassau Village-Ratliff
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.07 mi N; open water 0.08 mi NE.
How Nassau Village-Ratliff ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 82nd | 18th | 30th |
| Florida | 75th | 84th | 81st | 34th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 76th | 82nd | 79th | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Nassau Village-Ratliff: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Callahan 4 mi · Hilliard 14 mi · Jacksonville 15 mi · Yulee 17 mi · Baldwin 17 mi · Oakleaf Plantation 23 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 Nassau Village-Ratliff (30.5108, -81.8088); 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.