community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Doffing, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (78th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Expect a dearth from late Jul to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in Doffing?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Dearth: Jul 16 to Dec 15
- Fall flow: May 1 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Doffing, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, cotton; 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, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Dry beans: about 36 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early Apr – early May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Honeydew melons: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, blooms late Mar – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Cantaloupes: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms late Mar – late 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 Doffing
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 54% 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. Honeydew Melons: insecticides used on about 98% of surveyed US acres (2024); Cantaloupes: insecticides used on about 87% of surveyed US acres (2024); 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); Oranges: insecticides used on about 93% of surveyed US acres (2025); Watermelons: insecticides used on about 38% of surveyed US acres (2024); Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). 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 Doffing ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 85th | 26th | 24th |
| Texas | 97th | 78th | 58th | 27th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 91st | 68th | 63rd | 49th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Doffing: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
La Homa 2 mi · Perezville 3 mi · West Sharyland 3 mi · Palmview 3 mi · Citrus City 3 mi · Penitas 4 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 Doffing (26.2788, -98.3856); 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.