city in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Columbus, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 0% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.0 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Columbus?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Columbus, 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 23.
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): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – 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 Columbus
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.56 mi N; open water 1.22 mi SW.
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 Columbus ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 25th | 52nd | 43rd | 51st |
| Ohio | below the 1st | 33rd | 8th | 78th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | below the 1st | 58th | below the 1st | 88th |
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 Columbus: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Grandview Heights 3 mi · Bexley 3 mi · Marble Cliff 4 mi · Valleyview 5 mi · Upper Arlington 5 mi · Whitehall 6 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 Columbus (39.9855, -82.9856); 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.