city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Mesquite, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring and summer (84th percentile) and lowest in fall (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 1.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mesquite?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mesquite, 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 8.
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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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
- Soybeans: about 57 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi E, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 49 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi E, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 1 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 Mesquite
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.38 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.61 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 94% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Mesquite ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 88th | 39th | 46th |
| Texas | 80th | 84th | 84th | 57th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 47th | 46th | 85th | 85th |
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 Mesquite: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sunnyvale 3 mi · Balch Springs 4 mi · Travis Ranch 7 mi · Seagoville 8 mi · Forney 8 mi · Heath 10 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 Mesquite (32.7595, -96.5842); 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.