city in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Marion, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 49% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Marion?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Marion, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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): 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 522 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,298 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 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 Marion
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Corn; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.56 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.9 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 88% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Marion ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 73rd | 86th | 66th |
| Ohio | 49th | 52nd | 50th | 94th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 11th | 80th | 14th | 97th |
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 Marion: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Green Camp 6 mi · Morral 8 mi · Caledonia 9 mi · Waldo 10 mi · New Bloomington 10 mi · Prospect 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 Marion (40.5967, -83.1232); 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.