community in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Reserve, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (74th percentile) and lowest in spring (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Reserve?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Reserve, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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 99 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi S, blooms early Apr – 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 Reserve
Mostly: Mississippi River Bottomland Depression; Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Reserve ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 76th | 22nd | 33rd |
| Louisiana | 74th | 58th | 74th | 60th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 21st | 32nd | 22nd | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Reserve: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Edgard 3 mi · Laplace 5 mi · Garyville 5 mi · Montz 7 mi · Killona 7 mi · Wallace 7 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 Reserve (30.073, -90.555); 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.