city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Altus, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.6 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); grapes (nearest 1.5 mi NE); sunflower (nearest 3.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Altus?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Altus, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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; 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
- Soybeans: about 108 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi SW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Grapes: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi NE, blooms early May – late May
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 Altus
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.22 mi S.
Things to watch
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Grapes (all types): insecticides used on about 58% of surveyed US acres (2021); Grapes, wine type: insecticides used on about 56% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, table type: insecticides used on about 50% of surveyed US acres (2025); Grapes, raisin type: insecticides used on about 77% 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 Altus ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 97th | 50th | 19th |
| Arkansas | 70th | 91st | 68th | 36th |
| Arkansas Valley | 78th | 82nd | 89th | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 83% 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 Altus: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Denning 2 mi · Wiederkehr Village 2 mi · Alix 3 mi · Coal Hill 6 mi · Ozark 6 mi · Hartman 8 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 Altus (35.4496, -93.7653); 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.