city in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Bunkie, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bunkie?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Feb (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bunkie, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 1,316 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early Apr – early Jun (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 Bunkie
Mostly: Red River Large Floodplain Forest; Sugarcane; Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.2 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 41% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bunkie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 94th | 35th | 24th |
| Louisiana | 81st | 84th | 86th | 44th |
| South Central Plains | 93rd | 89th | 93rd | 32nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Bunkie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Evergreen 5 mi · Cheneyville 7 mi · Hessmer 8 mi · Cottonport 8 mi · Morrow 11 mi · Echo 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 Bunkie (30.9537, -92.1881); 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.