city in Louisiana
Honey bee forage in Zachary, Louisiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Louisiana. Against other Louisiana sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.2 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Zachary?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Zachary, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 286 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi N, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi N, blooms late Apr – late May (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 Zachary
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 55% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Zachary ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 93rd | 31st | 37th |
| Louisiana | 89th | 82nd | 84th | 66th |
| Mississippi Valley Loess Plains | 72nd | 77th | 45th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Zachary: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Slaughter 5 mi · Baker 6 mi · Brownfields 9 mi · Central 11 mi · Merrydale 12 mi · Jackson 12 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 Zachary (30.6644, -91.1658); 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.