community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Fresno, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 2.3 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fresno?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 15, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fresno, 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, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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
- Sorghum: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi W, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi S, blooms early Apr – early 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 Fresno
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Fresno ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 87th | 32nd | 38th |
| Texas | 97th | 80th | 73rd | 47th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 91st | 72nd | 81st | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Fresno: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Arcola 2 mi · Sienna 4 mi · Missouri City 4 mi · Fifth Street 6 mi · Manvel 7 mi · Iowa Colony 7 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 Fresno (29.5375, -95.4687); 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.