city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Bolivar, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.5 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bolivar?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 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 Bolivar, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): 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 68 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi S, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early 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 Bolivar
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 88% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bolivar ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 96th | 70th | 50th |
| Missouri | 53rd | 94th | 44th | 56th |
| Ozark Highlands | 90th | 86th | 92nd | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Bolivar: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Aldrich 8 mi · Morrisville 9 mi · Fair Play 9 mi · Halfway 10 mi · Pleasant Hope 12 mi · Flemington 14 mi
All towns in Missouri · 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 Bolivar (37.6067, -93.4167); 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.