city in Mississippi
Honey bee forage in Columbia, Mississippi
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Mississippi. Against other Mississippi sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (64th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Columbia?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Columbia, 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 25.
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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, 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 55 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi SW, blooms early Apr – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi SW, blooms late Apr – late May (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 Columbia
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 72% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Columbia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 91st | 31st | 28th |
| Mississippi | 77th | 67th | 64th | 88th |
| Southeastern Plains | 90th | 84th | 62nd | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Columbia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Foxworth 4 mi · Kokomo 11 mi · Bassfield 17 mi · Baxterville 18 mi · Sumrall 20 mi · Tylertown 22 mi
All towns in Mississippi · 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 Columbia (31.2586, -89.8187); 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.