city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Alpine, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 3.3 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alpine?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: May 16 to May 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alpine, 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, 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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi W, blooms late Apr – early Jul (grown 2 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 Alpine
Mostly: Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thornscrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub; Chihuahuan Loamy Plains Desert Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.57 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Alpine ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 89th | 32nd | 48th |
| Texas | 79th | 86th | 74th | 61st |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 100th | 99th | 98th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 Alpine: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Davis 20 mi · Marfa 22 mi · Marathon 27 mi · Balmorhea 43 mi · Valentine 52 mi · Fort Stockton 59 mi
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 Alpine (30.3639, -103.6645); 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.