community in Mississippi
Honey bee forage in Independence, Mississippi
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Mississippi. Against other Mississippi sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Independence?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Independence, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, cotton; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late May – 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 Independence
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi W.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Independence ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 97th | 54th | 8th |
| Mississippi | 80th | 88th | 78th | 48th |
| Mississippi Valley Loess Plains | 65th | 98th | 59th | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 80% 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 Independence: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Coldwater 10 mi · Senatobia 12 mi · Byhalia 13 mi · Bridgetown 14 mi · Victoria 14 mi · Hernando 14 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 Independence (34.7078, -89.8075); 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.