community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Lake Dunlap, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in fall (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.0 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Dunlap?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 15 (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 Lake Dunlap, 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 20.
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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 1,514 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NE, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi E, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 5 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 Lake Dunlap
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi SE; open water 0.19 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Lake Dunlap ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 87th | 28th | 25th |
| Texas | 88th | 80th | 66th | 29th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 66th | 38th | 36th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Lake Dunlap: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
New Braunfels 3 mi · McQueeney 5 mi · Geronimo 7 mi · Santa Clara 7 mi · Marion 7 mi · Seguin 9 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 Lake Dunlap (29.6653, -98.0816); 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.