city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Kirby, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in summer (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 2.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Kirby?
- 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 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kirby, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi SE, blooms early Apr – early Jun (grown 3 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 Kirby
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.68 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 91% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Kirby ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 75th | 30th | 40th |
| Texas | 80th | 54th | 70th | 48th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 48th | 7th | 45th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Kirby: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Windcrest 4 mi · Terrell Hills 4 mi · Alamo Heights 5 mi · China Grove 5 mi · Converse 6 mi · Olmos Park 6 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 Kirby (29.4617, -98.3853); 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.