community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Fort Bliss, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it ranks highest in spring (46th percentile) and lowest in fall (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.8 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Bliss?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Bliss, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi S, 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 Fort Bliss
Mostly: Chihuahuan Stabilized Coppice Dune and Sand Flat Scrub; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 1.12 mi E; open water 1.32 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- No mapped water within a mile. Plan to provide water. Small ponds, ditches, troughs and pools don't show on these maps.
How Fort Bliss ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 42nd | 71st | 21st | 31st |
| Texas | 39th | 46th | 41st | 35th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 92nd | 90th | 91st | 19th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Fort Bliss: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
El Paso 3 mi · Homestead Meadows North 12 mi · Homestead Meadows South 13 mi · Sparks 14 mi · Canutillo 14 mi · Prado Verde 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 Fort Bliss (31.8397, -106.3747); 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.