city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Lavaca, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lavaca?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lavaca, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; 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 514 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, 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 Lavaca
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi SE.
How Lavaca ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 98th | 49th | 25th |
| Arkansas | 77th | 96th | 68th | 49th |
| Arkansas Valley | 91st | 93rd | 89th | 33rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Lavaca: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Central City 3 mi · Barling 5 mi · Kibler 7 mi · Charleston 8 mi · Greenwood 9 mi · Fort Smith 11 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 Lavaca (35.3302, -94.1829); 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.