village in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Mermentau, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it ranks highest in spring (49th percentile) and lowest in fall (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mermentau?
- 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 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: May 1 to May 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, soybeans)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mermentau, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 435 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi SE, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 3 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 Mermentau
Mostly: West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp; Rice; Aquaculture.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi SW.
How Mermentau ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 71st | 12th | 10th |
| Louisiana | 57th | 49th | 45th | 19th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 36th | 39th | 20th | 30th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Mermentau: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Midland 5 mi · Jennings 5 mi · Egan 6 mi · Morse 7 mi · Estherwood 7 mi · Lake Arthur 9 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 Mermentau (30.188, -92.5838); 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.