community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Carlton, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (69th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Carlton?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 31, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 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 Carlton, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; 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); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 82 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NW, 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 Carlton
Mostly: Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Shrubland; Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.18 mi NW.
How Carlton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 86th | 30th | 57th |
| Texas | 72nd | 80th | 69th | 72nd |
| Cross Timbers | 61st | 68th | 34th | 38th |
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 Carlton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lamkin 8 mi · Hico 10 mi · Gustine 14 mi · Dublin 15 mi · Hamilton 15 mi · Proctor 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 Carlton (31.9197, -98.1714); 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.