town in Mississippi
Honey bee forage in Sturgis, Mississippi
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Mississippi. Against other Mississippi sites it stands out most in fall (65th percentile) and lowest in summer (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sturgis?
- First forage: Jan 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sturgis, 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 13.
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, likely to set over some months
- 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, 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 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms late Apr – early Jul (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 Sturgis
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) 0.03 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi W.
How Sturgis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 88th | 22nd | 14th |
| Mississippi | 53rd | 61st | 52nd | 65th |
| Southeastern Plains | 64th | 79th | 47th | 59th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 Sturgis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Longview 8 mi · Ackerman 8 mi · Mathiston 14 mi · Maben 15 mi · Starkville 15 mi · Louisville 15 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 Sturgis (33.3452, -89.0458); 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.