town in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Clayton, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clayton?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 15, peaking early May (soybeans)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Clayton, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; 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), cotton, garden flowers; light 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 4,517 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms late Apr – late 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 Clayton
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Soybeans; Mississippi River High Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W.
How Clayton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 98th | 54th | 23rd |
| Louisiana | 97th | 96th | 92nd | 42nd |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 65th | 90th | 35th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Clayton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Spokane 5 mi · Ferriday 6 mi · Ridgecrest 8 mi · Waterproof 11 mi · Minorca 11 mi · Sicily Island 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 Clayton (31.7222, -91.5346); 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.