city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Bowling Green, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Missouri. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Missouri sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bowling Green?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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 1,917 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 967 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 53% 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 | 81st | 86th | 51st |
| Missouri | 66th | 55th | 62nd | 59th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 47th | 57th | 48th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Bowling Green: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tarrants 1 mi · St. Clement 4 mi · Ashley 6 mi · Curryville 7 mi · Louisiana 10 mi · Frankford 12 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 Bowling Green (39.3448, -91.2025); 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.