community in Florida
Honey bee forage in West Canaveral Groves, Florida
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Florida. Against other Florida sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in spring (31st). Expect a dearth from early Nov to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in West Canaveral Groves?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Jul 31
- Dearth: Nov 1 to Dec 15
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Canaveral Groves, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): summer-flowering shrubs, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi SE, 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 West Canaveral Groves
Mostly: Central Florida Pine Wet Flatwoods; Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh; Florida River Floodplain Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi W.
How West Canaveral Groves ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 48th | 55th | 10th | 60th |
| Florida | 36th | 31st | 46th | 86th |
| Southern Coastal Plain | 35th | 20th | 46th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 West Canaveral Groves: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cocoa West 5 mi · Cocoa 5 mi · Port St. John 6 mi · Sharpes 6 mi · Rockledge 8 mi · Tropical Park 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 West Canaveral Groves (28.3927, -80.8492); 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.