community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Bear Creek Ranch, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in summer (73rd percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bear Creek Ranch?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bear Creek Ranch, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early May – 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 Bear Creek Ranch
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.54 mi N.
How Bear Creek Ranch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 81st | 31st | 41st |
| Texas | 65th | 67th | 73rd | 49th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 17th | 18th | 50th | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Bear Creek Ranch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lancaster 3 mi · Red Oak 4 mi · Pecan Hill 5 mi · Glenn Heights 5 mi · Ferris 5 mi · Wilmer 6 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 Bear Creek Ranch (32.5595, -96.7643); 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.