community in Florida
Honey bee forage in Ridge Manor, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in summer (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: oranges (nearest 3.3 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Ridge Manor?
- 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)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ridge Manor, 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 6.
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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi W, blooms late Feb – late 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 Ridge Manor
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Central Florida Pine Flatwoods; Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NE.
How Ridge Manor ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 70th | 17th | 43rd |
| Florida | 71st | 64th | 80th | 57th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 71st | 60th | 78th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 63% 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 Ridge Manor: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lacoochee 2 mi · Trilby 3 mi · Hill 'n Dale 6 mi · Spring Lake 6 mi · Dade City North 8 mi · Dade City 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 Ridge Manor (28.4929, -82.1896); 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.