community in Texas
Honey bee forage in East Columbia, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Nearest mapped water: open water, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in East Columbia?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East Columbia, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around East Columbia
Mostly: Columbia Bottomlands Forest and Woodland; Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Exotic Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.08 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.1 mi E.
How East Columbia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 84th | 17th | 33rd |
| Texas | 91st | 74th | 34th | 38th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 77th | 63rd | 38th | 57th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 East Columbia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Columbia 3 mi · Wild Peach Village 5 mi · Bailey's Prairie 6 mi · Brazoria 7 mi · Holiday Lakes 7 mi · Sweeny 9 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 East Columbia (29.141, -95.6051); 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.