community in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Banks Springs, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in Louisiana. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Louisiana sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.5 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Banks Springs?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: May 16 to May 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Banks 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 Mar 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra 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
- Soybeans: about 81 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NE, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 242 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi NE, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 5 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 Banks Springs
Mostly: West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi SW.
How Banks Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 82nd | 21st | 41st |
| Louisiana | 61st | 69th | 73rd | 74th |
| South Central Plains | 65th | 67th | 68th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Banks Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Columbia 2 mi · Grayson 2 mi · Clarks 5 mi · Olla 15 mi · Urania 19 mi · Winnsboro 22 mi
All towns in Louisiana · National map · How the scoring works
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 Banks Springs (32.0764, -92.0851); 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.