city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Decatur, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Texas. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Texas sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Decatur?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 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 Decatur, 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 13.
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), garden flowers, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Sorghum: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi S, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi SE, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi S, blooms late Apr – early Jul (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 Decatur
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.42 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Decatur ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 87th | 39th | 61st |
| Texas | 78th | 81st | 84th | 76th |
| Cross Timbers | 78th | 71st | 68th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Decatur: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Paradise 8 mi · Boyd 10 mi · Bridgeport 11 mi · Alvord 11 mi · Rhome 12 mi · New Fairview 12 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 Decatur (33.2259, -97.587); 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.