community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Citrus City, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (19th). Expect a dearth from early Jul to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in Citrus City?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 1 to May 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, sunflower)
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Dec 15
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, cotton)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Citrus City, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, sunflower, cotton; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, cotton, watermelons; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, sunflower, 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
- Sunflower: about 571 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi W, blooms late Mar – late May (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 995 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi W, blooms early Apr – early May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Watermelons: about 49 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms late Mar – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 91 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms late May – early Jul (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 Citrus City
Mostly: Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.46 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 51% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Watermelons: insecticides used on about 38% of surveyed US acres (2024); Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025); Oranges: insecticides used on about 93% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: grapefruit: insecticides used on about 63% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: lemons: insecticides used on about 75% of surveyed US acres (2025); Citrus: tangerines: insecticides used on about 82% of surveyed US acres (2025); Honeydew Melons: insecticides used on about 98% of surveyed US acres (2024). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Citrus City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 95th | 25th | 15th |
| Texas | 100th | 96th | 56th | 19th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 99th | 97th | 61st | 39th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Citrus City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Salida del Sol Estates 3 mi · Doffing 3 mi · La Homa 4 mi · West Sharyland 5 mi · Penitas 6 mi · Perezville 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 Citrus City (26.3279, -98.3922); 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.