city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Santa Clara, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (11th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Santa Clara?
- First forage: Jan 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jan 16 to May 31, peaking late Feb (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Santa Clara, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 131 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late May (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 Santa Clara
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; Southeastern Ruderal Shrubland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E.
How Santa Clara ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 89th | 17th | 6th |
| Texas | 78th | 85th | 34th | 11th |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 43rd | 49th | 4th | 10th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Santa Clara: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Marion 2 mi · Cibolo 4 mi · Schertz 6 mi · Zuehl 6 mi · McQueeney 7 mi · Lake Dunlap 7 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 Santa Clara (29.5931, -98.1606); 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.