community in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Bethesda, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (67th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bethesda?
- 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bethesda, 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 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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
- Soybeans: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi NE, 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 Bethesda
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 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Bethesda ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 96th | 48th | 42nd |
| Arkansas | 66th | 86th | 67th | 73rd |
| Ozark Highlands | 76th | 86th | 53rd | 17th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 90% 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 Bethesda: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cushman 5 mi · Pleasant Grove 7 mi · Desha 7 mi · Concord 9 mi · Batesville 10 mi · Southside 10 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 Bethesda (35.7871, -91.7927); 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.