community in Texas
Honey bee forage in La Esperanza, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (54th percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Expect a dearth from early Jul to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in La Esperanza?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Dec 15
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of La Esperanza, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), rabbitbrush, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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 177 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi S, blooms early Apr – early May (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 La Esperanza
Mostly: Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub; Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.55 mi N.
How La Esperanza ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 75th | 11th | 14th |
| Texas | 83rd | 54th | 23rd | 17th |
| Southern Texas Plains | 99th | 96th | 90th | 4th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 88% 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 La Esperanza: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Benjamin Perez 2 mi · Rancho Viejo 2 mi · El Cenizo 2 mi · Los Ebanos 2 mi · Flor del Rio 2 mi · Miguel Barrera 2 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 La Esperanza (26.4313, -98.8923); 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.