city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Ames, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ames?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ames, 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 Feb 16.
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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi SE, blooms early Apr – 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 Ames
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest; West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
How Ames ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 90th | 22nd | 34th |
| Texas | 98th | 88th | 46th | 39th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 94th | 83rd | 54th | 57th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Ames: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Liberty 3 mi · Hardin 7 mi · Kenefick 7 mi · Daisetta 7 mi · Dayton Lakes 8 mi · Hull 9 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 Ames (30.0451, -94.7373); 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.