city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Nocona, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (70th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.9 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Nocona?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Nocona, 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 16.
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 shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi N, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Nocona
Mostly: Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.37 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.46 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Nocona ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 94th | 43rd | 56th |
| Texas | 87th | 93rd | 87th | 70th |
| Central Great Plains | 80th | 100th | 30th | 57th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Nocona: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Nocona Hills 7 mi · Montague 8 mi · Ringgold 12 mi · Saint Jo 13 mi · Bowie 17 mi · Bellevue 19 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 Nocona (33.7836, -97.7302); 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.