city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Rusk, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (56th). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.13 mi E.
When is the honey flow in Rusk?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rusk, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Rusk
Mostly: Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine Forest; West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Rusk ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 84th | 28th | 45th |
| Texas | 76th | 75th | 65th | 56th |
| South Central Plains | 74th | 70th | 83rd | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Rusk: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gallatin 7 mi · Reklaw 11 mi · Alto 11 mi · New Summerfield 13 mi · Jacksonville 13 mi · Cushing 18 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 Rusk (31.7978, -95.1488); 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.