city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Ector, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (66th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ector?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (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 Ector, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, 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
- Corn: about 164 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi S, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi W, blooms early May – 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 Ector
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Texas Blackland Tallgrass Prairie; East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.15 mi W.
How Ector ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 93rd | 38th | 53rd |
| Texas | 83rd | 91st | 83rd | 66th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 53rd | 65th | 84th | 92nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Ector: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bonham 5 mi · Savoy 6 mi · Ravenna 7 mi · Bells 8 mi · Whitewright 8 mi · Trenton 11 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 Ector (33.5793, -96.2731); 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.