community in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Pencil Bluff, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Pencil Bluff?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pencil Bluff, 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); 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Pencil Bluff
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Oak Forest and Woodland; Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.08 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi E.
How Pencil Bluff ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 97th | 40th | 16th |
| Arkansas | 67th | 90th | 59th | 31st |
| Ouachita Mountains | 98th | 98th | 98th | 21st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 87% 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 Pencil Bluff: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oden 3 mi · Mount Ida 8 mi · Black Springs 12 mi · Norman 12 mi · Caddo Gap 17 mi · Board Camp 21 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 Pencil Bluff (34.6304, -93.735); 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.