community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Pine Lakes, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in spring (69th). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, 0.15 mi SE.
When is the honey flow in Pine Lakes?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pine Lakes, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Pine Lakes
Mostly: Central Florida Pine Flatwoods; Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock; Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.15 mi SE; open water 0.19 mi S.
How Pine Lakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 73rd | 18th | 48th |
| Florida | 74th | 69th | 82nd | 71st |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 75th | 65th | 80th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Pine Lakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Mack-Forest Hills 4 mi · Lake Kathryn 5 mi · Paisley 7 mi · DeBary 8 mi · West DeLand 8 mi · DeLand Southwest 9 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 Pine Lakes (28.9398, -81.4306); 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.