city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Arkansas City, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW); corn (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Arkansas City?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Arkansas City, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 4,756 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Arkansas City
Mostly: Open water; Soybeans; Mississippi River High Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi NE.
How Arkansas City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 98th | 78th | 25th |
| Arkansas | 92nd | 99th | 78th | 49th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 71st | 86th | 48th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Arkansas City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Halley 8 mi · McGehee 11 mi · Dermott 14 mi · Reed 15 mi · Tillar 16 mi · Winchester 19 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 Arkansas City (33.6089, -91.2049); 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.