city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Des Arc, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Des Arc?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Des Arc, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 5,697 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 872 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, 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 Des Arc
Mostly: Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest; Open water; Mississippi River High Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi NW.
How Des Arc ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 96th | 74th | 21st |
| Arkansas | 83rd | 88th | 77th | 41st |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 46th | 70th | 44th | 64th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Des Arc: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Georgetown 11 mi · Fredonia (Biscoe) 12 mi · Griffithville 13 mi · De Valls Bluff 14 mi · Hazen 14 mi · Cotton Plant 15 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 Des Arc (34.9784, -91.5068); 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.