town in Mississippi
Honey bee forage in Hickory, Mississippi
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Mississippi. Against other Mississippi sites it stands out most in fall (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.4 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.9 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hickory?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hickory, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, 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 32 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi W, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 3 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 Hickory
Mostly: Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation; East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.03 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi E.
How Hickory ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 95th | 26th | 24th |
| Mississippi | 74th | 79th | 59th | 84th |
| Southeastern Plains | 87th | 94th | 54th | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% 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 Hickory: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Chunky 5 mi · Newton 7 mi · Decatur 10 mi · Nellieburg 15 mi · Enterprise 16 mi · Collinsville 16 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 Hickory (32.3167, -89.0217); 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.