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Honey bee forage in South Padre Island, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 13% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it ranks highest in fall (23rd percentile) and lowest in spring (10th). Expect a dearth from early Jul to early Dec.
When is the honey flow in South Padre Island?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jan 1 to Apr 15, peaking early Feb (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Dearth: Jul 1 to Dec 15
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 30 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Dec 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of South Padre Island, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, 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 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi N, blooms early Apr – early 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 South Padre Island
Mostly: Open water; Developed, medium intensity; Barren.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.17 mi W; open water 0.17 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 79% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How South Padre Island ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 16th | 32nd | 8th | 19th |
| Texas | 13th | 10th | 18th | 23rd |
| Western Gulf Coastal Plain | 4th | 1st | 7th | 44th |
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 South Padre Island: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Laguna Heights 6 mi · Laguna Vista 8 mi · Port Isabel 9 mi · Bayview 14 mi · Del Mar Heights 16 mi · Chula Vista 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 South Padre Island (26.1205, -97.1707); 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.