city in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Hillsboro, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hillsboro?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hillsboro, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 112 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, 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 Hillsboro
Mostly: North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.17 mi N; open water 0.17 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Hillsboro ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 91st | 77th | 54th |
| Ohio | 44th | 80th | 39th | 83rd |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 7th | 94th | 7th | 90th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Hillsboro: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rocky Fork Point 7 mi · Highland Holiday 8 mi · New Vienna 9 mi · Highland 9 mi · Leesburg 9 mi · Lynchburg 10 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 Hillsboro (39.2123, -83.6112); 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.