community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Preston, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 11% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it ranks highest in fall (33rd percentile) and lowest in spring (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Preston?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Preston, 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 18.
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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi W, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.6 mi W, blooms late Apr – early Jul (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 Preston
Mostly: Open water; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland; Texas Blackland Tallgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.02 mi W.
How Preston ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 13th | 45th | 10th | 29th |
| Texas | 11th | 19th | 21st | 33rd |
| East Central Texas Plains | below the 1st | below the 1st | 1st | 37th |
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 Preston: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pottsboro 7 mi · Denison 8 mi · Sherwood Shores 9 mi · Knollwood 12 mi · Sherman 17 mi · Sadler 17 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 Preston (33.8655, -96.6635); 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.