city in Kentucky
Honey bee forage in Bowling Green, Kentucky
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Kentucky. Against other Kentucky sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in summer (68th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.7 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bowling Green?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bowling Green, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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
- Corn: about 69 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 53 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NE, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Bowling Green
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.43 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.45 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 99% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bowling Green ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 97th | 71st | 43rd |
| Kentucky | 86th | 100th | 68th | 77th |
| Interior Plateau | 91st | 100th | 71st | 82nd |
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 Bowling Green: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Plum Springs 4 mi · Plano 7 mi · Woodburn 11 mi · Oakland 11 mi · Smiths Grove 13 mi · Auburn 17 mi
All towns in Kentucky · 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 Bowling Green (36.9768, -86.4337); 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.