city in Arkansas
Honey bee forage in West Memphis, Arkansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Arkansas. Against other Arkansas sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (65th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Memphis?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Jul 15, peaking late May (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Memphis, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 3,138 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 5 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 West Memphis
Mostly: Soybeans; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.1 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 91% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How West Memphis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 97th | 81st | 36th |
| Arkansas | 89th | 93rd | 81st | 65th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 63rd | 76th | 52nd | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around West Memphis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Marion 4 mi · Sunset 5 mi · Edmondson 7 mi · Crawfordsville 9 mi · Jericho 10 mi · Clarkedale 10 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 West Memphis (35.1496, -90.1993); 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.