city in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Ville Platte, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ville Platte?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jun 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ville Platte, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, 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; extra 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, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 299 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms early Apr – 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 Ville Platte
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Rice; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.59 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 80% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ville Platte ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 96th | 40th | 32nd |
| Louisiana | 90th | 87th | 88th | 58th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 96th | 98th | 90th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Ville Platte: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Chataignier 9 mi · Reddell 9 mi · Mamou 9 mi · Pine Prairie 11 mi · Lawtell 13 mi · Washington 14 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 Ville Platte (30.6899, -92.2742); 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.