village in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Benton Ridge, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in summer (81st percentile) and lowest in spring and fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Benton Ridge?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Benton Ridge, 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 May 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 13,249 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,124 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Benton Ridge
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi SE.
How Benton Ridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 41st | 98th | 24th |
| Ohio | 87th | 27th | 81st | 27th |
| Huron/Erie Lake Plains | 85th | 57th | 76th | 23rd |
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 Benton Ridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rawson 3 mi · Mount Cory 5 mi · Gilboa 7 mi · McComb 7 mi · Jenera 8 mi · Findlay 9 mi
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 Benton Ridge (41.0043, -83.792); 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.