town in Mississippi
Honey bee forage in Ethel, Mississippi
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Mississippi. Against other Mississippi sites it stands out most in fall (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.8 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ethel?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ethel, 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 Mar 12.
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), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (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 Ethel
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi S.
How Ethel ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 92nd | 23rd | 16th |
| Mississippi | 60th | 68th | 54th | 69th |
| Southeastern Plains | 72nd | 86th | 50th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Ethel: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kosciusko 8 mi · McCool 9 mi · French Camp 12 mi · Weir 14 mi · Sallis 19 mi · West 19 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 Ethel (33.1221, -89.465); 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.