city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Bentonville, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.8 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bentonville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bentonville, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi SW, blooms late May – late 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 Bentonville
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, medium intensity; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 66% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bentonville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 96th | 61st | 34th |
| Arkansas | 69th | 86th | 73rd | 61st |
| Ozark Highlands | 82nd | 87th | 79th | 9th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Bentonville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Centerton 4 mi · Rogers 5 mi · Cave Springs 5 mi · Little Flock 6 mi · Highfill 7 mi · Lowell 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 Bentonville (36.3527, -94.2312); 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.