community in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Ponca, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 34% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (33rd). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.2 mi SW.
When is the honey flow in Ponca?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), spring-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ponca, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 Ponca
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.21 mi W.
How Ponca ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 52nd | 86th | 23rd | 53rd |
| Arkansas | 34th | 51st | 33rd | 88th |
| Boston Mountains | 55th | 65th | 43rd | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 93% 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 Ponca: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kingston 9 mi · Wayton 10 mi · Jasper 10 mi · Deer 16 mi · Batavia 17 mi · Alpena 18 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 Ponca (36.0293, -93.3624); 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.