community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Shady Hollow, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (73rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.8 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shady Hollow?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Apr 30, peaking late Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shady Hollow, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Sorghum: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi S, blooms late Apr – late May (grown 3 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 Shady Hollow
Mostly: Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland; Developed, medium intensity; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.35 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 71% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Shady Hollow ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 89th | 35th | 59th |
| Texas | 94th | 85th | 78th | 73rd |
| Edwards Plateau | 100th | 100th | 99th | 32nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Shady Hollow: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Manchaca 3 mi · San Leanna 3 mi · Hays 3 mi · Bear Creek 5 mi · Sunset Valley 5 mi · Buda 6 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 Shady Hollow (30.1645, -97.8631); 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.