city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Joshua, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (64th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Joshua?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (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 Joshua, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, 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, 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, garden flowers; 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 139 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 2 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 Joshua
Mostly: Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Joshua ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 95th | 39th | 51st |
| Texas | 91st | 95th | 84th | 64th |
| Cross Timbers | 98th | 96th | 68th | 28th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Joshua: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cross Timber 4 mi · Burleson 5 mi · Briaroaks 5 mi · Keene 6 mi · Cleburne 7 mi · Crowley 8 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 Joshua (32.4591, -97.3838); 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.