town in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Alpena, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.0 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); millet (nearest 2.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alpena?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alpena, 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 Apr 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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); 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
- Corn: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 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 Alpena
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi NE.
How Alpena ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 98th | 62nd | 20th |
| Arkansas | 77th | 96th | 74th | 38th |
| Ozark Highlands | 93rd | 98th | 82nd | 3rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 87% 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 Alpena: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Batavia 6 mi · Green Forest 8 mi · Harrison 11 mi · Omaha 13 mi · Oak Grove 14 mi · Blue Eye 15 mi
All towns in Arkansas · National map · How the scoring works
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 Alpena (36.2927, -93.3036); 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.