community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Rochelle, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.8 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rochelle?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rochelle, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, 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), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SW, blooms early May – early 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 Rochelle
Mostly: Edwards Plateau Limestone Shrubland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Shrubland; Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi W.
How Rochelle ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 88th | 25th | 54th |
| Texas | 73rd | 83rd | 54th | 67th |
| Central Great Plains | 72nd | 98th | 8th | 54th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% 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 Rochelle: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Brady 11 mi · Richland Springs 16 mi · Melvin 22 mi · San Saba 29 mi · Mason 33 mi · Bangs 34 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 Rochelle (31.2231, -99.2066); 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.