community in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Branch, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in spring (59th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Branch?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Branch, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 154 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 2 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 Branch
Mostly: West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest; Aquaculture; Rice.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi SW.
How Branch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 77th | 15th | 12th |
| Louisiana | 52nd | 59th | 58th | 23rd |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 33rd | 46th | 31st | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Branch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Church Point 6 mi · Rayne 7 mi · Duson 9 mi · Crowley 10 mi · Cankton 10 mi · Ossun 11 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 Branch (30.3386, -92.2857); 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.