community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Rainbow Springs, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: cotton (nearest 1.8 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 3.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rainbow Springs?
- 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 Rainbow Springs, 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 11.
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): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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
- Cotton: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi N, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Peas: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi SE, blooms late Feb – late Mar (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 Rainbow Springs
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Southeastern Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.19 mi NW; open water 0.41 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 65% 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. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% 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 Rainbow Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 80th | 27th | 45th |
| Florida | 84th | 81st | 93rd | 61st |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 84th | 80th | 93rd | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Rainbow Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dunnellon 3 mi · Rainbow Lakes Estates 6 mi · Rainbow Park 7 mi · Citrus Springs 7 mi · On Top of the World 9 mi · Hernando 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 Rainbow Springs (29.0971, -82.442); 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.