city in Florida
Honey bee forage in Palm Bay, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (76th). Expect a dearth from early Oct to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in Palm Bay?
- 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 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Palm Bay, 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 1.
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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Sorghum: about 80 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi S, blooms early Apr – early May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Oranges: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi S, blooms late Feb – early Apr
- Blueberries: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi S, blooms late Jan – late Feb
- Sweet corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi S, 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 Palm Bay
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Central Florida Pine Flatwoods.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 94% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Oranges: insecticides used on about 93% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Palm Bay ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 81st | 33rd | 51st |
| Florida | 91st | 84th | 98th | 76th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 91st | 82nd | 98th | 81st |
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 Palm Bay: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Malabar 6 mi · Grant-Valkaria 6 mi · West Melbourne 7 mi · June Park 8 mi · Melbourne Village 9 mi · Melbourne Beach 10 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 Palm Bay (27.9548, -80.665); 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.