community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Olmito, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in summer (71st percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); cotton (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Olmito?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jan 16 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, cotton, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Olmito, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): cotton, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): cotton, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): cotton, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 1,773 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Apr – early May (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 108 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 2 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 Olmito
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi N.
Things to watch
- 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 Olmito ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 78th | 31st | 33rd |
| Texas | 82nd | 61st | 71st | 38th |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 60th | 49th | 78th | 57th |
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 Olmito: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rancho Viejo 1 mi · San Pedro 4 mi · Brownsville 5 mi · Los Fresnos 5 mi · Indian Lake 5 mi · Cameron Park 5 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 Olmito (26.0276, -97.5401); 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.