city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Barling, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.2 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Barling?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 15, peaking late Mar (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (summer-flowering shrubs, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Barling, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 2,997 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi N, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 158 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 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 Barling
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi SE.
How Barling ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 97th | 38th | 45th |
| Arkansas | 71st | 89th | 57th | 78th |
| Arkansas Valley | 80th | 78th | 52nd | 74th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Barling: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Central City 2 mi · Lavaca 5 mi · Fort Smith 6 mi · Kibler 7 mi · Greenwood 9 mi · Van Buren 9 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 Barling (35.3313, -94.2752); 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.