city in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Orrville, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.7 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Orrville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Orrville, 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 3.
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, alfalfa, dandelion; 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; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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
- Corn: about 2,248 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 587 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 4 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 Orrville
Mostly: Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.09 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 87% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Orrville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 81st | 85th | 66th |
| Ohio | 53rd | 61st | 49th | 95th |
| Erie Drift Plain | 86th | 83rd | 75th | 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 Orrville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Marshallville 4 mi · Smithville 4 mi · Dalton 5 mi · North Lawrence 7 mi · Kidron 7 mi · Apple Creek 7 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 Orrville (40.8483, -81.7769); 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.