community in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Gray, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.0 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gray?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gray, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SW, 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 Gray
Mostly: Mississippi Delta Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh; Mississippi River Bottomland Depression; Mississippi River High Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.05 mi NE.
How Gray ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 76th | 24th | 54th |
| Louisiana | 76th | 58th | 77th | 90th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 23rd | 31st | 23rd | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Gray: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bayou Cane 4 mi · Schriever 5 mi · Lafourche Crossing 6 mi · Bayou Country Club 7 mi · Bayou Blue 8 mi · Houma 8 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 Gray (29.678, -90.7831); 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.