city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Marion, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Marion?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to May 31, peaking late Feb (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Marion, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 141 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 131 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Apr – late 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 Marion
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; Southeastern Ruderal Shrubland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi SW.
How Marion ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 91st | 19th | 13th |
| Texas | 81st | 89th | 37th | 17th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 50th | 58th | 6th | 24th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 Marion: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Santa Clara 2 mi · Cibolo 5 mi · Zuehl 5 mi · McQueeney 6 mi · New Berlin 6 mi · Schertz 7 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 Marion (29.5726, -98.1429); 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.