community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Pettus, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (61st percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pettus?
- 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Fall flow: May 16 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pettus, 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 14.
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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, rabbitbrush; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi E, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms late Apr – late May (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 Pettus
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; Western Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern Ruderal Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.37 mi NW.
How Pettus ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 78th | 17th | 34th |
| Texas | 76th | 61st | 34th | 39th |
| East Central Texas Plains | 10th | 7th | 6th | 44th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 86% 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 Pettus: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tulsita 2 mi · Tuleta 3 mi · Normanna 6 mi · Pawnee 12 mi · Kenedy 14 mi · Beeville 15 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 Pettus (28.6156, -97.8121); 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.