community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Flat, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in fall (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Flat?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 31, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Flat, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 210 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Flat
Mostly: Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi W.
How Flat ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 80th | 22nd | 56th |
| Texas | 66th | 65th | 47th | 70th |
| Cross Timbers | 37th | 31st | 8th | 37th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Flat: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mound 3 mi · South Mountain 10 mi · Oglesby 10 mi · Gatesville 11 mi · McGregor 14 mi · Morgan's Point Resort 14 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 Flat (31.3093, -97.6241); 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.