community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Bluff Dale, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bluff Dale?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bluff Dale, 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 10.
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 shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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
- Sorghum: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms early May – early 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 Bluff Dale
Mostly: Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi N.
How Bluff Dale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 92nd | 33rd | 59th |
| Texas | 81st | 89th | 76th | 73rd |
| Cross Timbers | 85th | 88th | 46th | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Bluff Dale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tolar 7 mi · Lipan 12 mi · Stephenville 15 mi · Oak Trail Shores 15 mi · Huckabay 16 mi · Granbury 16 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 Bluff Dale (32.3497, -98.0249); 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.