community in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Pontiac, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 1% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it ranks highest in fall (48th percentile) and lowest in summer (1st). Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer), 0.21 mi NE.
When is the honey flow in Pontiac?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pontiac, 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 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Pontiac
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Open water; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.21 mi NE; open water 0.27 mi N.
How Pontiac ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 35th | 70th | 26th | 47th |
| Missouri | 1st | 31st | 1st | 48th |
| Ozark Highlands | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 26th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Pontiac: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sundown 3 mi · Theodosia 5 mi · Gainesville 12 mi · Wasola 18 mi · Bakersfield 25 mi · Kissee Mills 27 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 Pontiac (36.52, -92.6051); 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.