town in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Columbia, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Columbia?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 31, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Columbia, 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), soybeans, dandelion; 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), dandelion, soybeans; 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 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 233 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NE, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 4 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 Columbia
Mostly: West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.2 mi SE; open water 0.24 mi E.
How Columbia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 85th | 26th | 34th |
| Louisiana | 65th | 72nd | 79th | 61st |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 16th | 42nd | 24th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Columbia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Banks Springs 2 mi · Grayson 4 mi · Clarks 6 mi · Olla 17 mi · Urania 21 mi · Winnsboro 21 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 Columbia (32.1021, -92.0764); 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.