community in Texas
Honey bee forage in Tornillo, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 32% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in summer (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: cotton (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Tornillo?
- First forage: Jan 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), cotton, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Tornillo, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), cotton, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): cotton, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, rabbitbrush, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); dark amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), cotton, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Cotton: about 64 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 127 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi W, blooms late Apr – late Jun (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 Tornillo
Mostly: Unmapped; Pecans; North American Warm Desert Ruderal & Planted Scrub.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.94 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 40% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Cotton: insecticides used on about 39% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Tornillo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 37th | 59th | 40th | 4th |
| Texas | 32nd | 32nd | 85th | 8th |
| Chihuahuan Deserts | 89th | 78th | 99th | 3rd |
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 Tornillo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fabens 6 mi · Morning Glory 11 mi · Clint 13 mi · San Elizario 14 mi · Acala 14 mi · Agua Dulce 15 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 Tornillo (31.4367, -106.1032); 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.