town in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in Russell, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 2.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Russell?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Russell, 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 27.
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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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 254 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi E, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 3 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 Russell
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi NW.
How Russell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 95th | 58th | 31st |
| Arkansas | 69th | 79th | 72nd | 59th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 27th | 63rd | 36th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Russell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bald Knob 5 mi · Bradford 5 mi · Judsonia 9 mi · Augusta 10 mi · West Point 12 mi · Kensett 13 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 Russell (35.3621, -91.5099); 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.