village in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Gilliam, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gilliam?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking early May (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, cotton)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Jul 31 (cotton)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gilliam, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, cotton; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): cotton, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, cotton, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 1,287 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 1,237 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,244 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms early May – 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 Gilliam
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Red River Large Floodplain Forest; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Gilliam ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 97th | 77th | 7th |
| Louisiana | 95th | 92nd | 97th | 14th |
| South Central Plains | 100th | 98th | 100th | 1st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Gilliam: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hosston 5 mi · Belcher 5 mi · Vivian 9 mi · Oil City 10 mi · Plain Dealing 10 mi · Benton 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 Gilliam (32.8282, -93.8418); 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.