community in Ohio
Honey bee forage in Sterling, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in summer (58th percentile) and lowest in spring (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sterling?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sterling, 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): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- 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, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 2,240 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 112 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 127 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Sterling
Mostly: Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi NE.
How Sterling ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 44th | 90th | 38th |
| Ohio | 46th | 29th | 58th | 42nd |
| Erie Drift Plain | 76th | 3rd | 91st | 15th |
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 Sterling: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Creston 3 mi · Rittman 3 mi · Seville 4 mi · Westfield Center 6 mi · Gloria Glens Park 7 mi · Wadsworth 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 Sterling (40.9662, -81.8439); 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.