community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Palmona Park, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (60th). Expect a dearth from early Oct to late Nov.
When is the honey flow in Palmona Park?
- 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 Nov 30
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Dec 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Palmona Park, 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 29.
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 wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- 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
- Oranges: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi NE, blooms late Feb – early 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 Palmona Park
Mostly: Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.19 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 85% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Palmona Park ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 68th | 25th | 48th |
| Florida | 78th | 60th | 90th | 68th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 79th | 55th | 90th | 73rd |
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 Palmona Park: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Suncoast Estates 2 mi · Lochmoor Waterway Estates 3 mi · North Fort Myers 4 mi · Tice 5 mi · Fort Myers 6 mi · Cape Coral 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 Palmona Park (26.6894, -81.8944); 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.