town in Texas
Honey bee forage in Howe, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in summer (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Howe?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Howe, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 848 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, 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 Howe
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; 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) 0.19 mi W; open water 0.36 mi NE.
How Howe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 86th | 43rd | 38th |
| Texas | 74th | 79th | 87th | 45th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 32nd | 35th | 93rd | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Howe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dorchester 5 mi · Van Alstyne 6 mi · Tom Bean 8 mi · Sherman 8 mi · Southmayd 10 mi · Anna 12 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 Howe (33.5075, -96.6155); 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.