community in Ohio
Honey bee forage in West Portsmouth, Ohio
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in Ohio. Against other Ohio sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Portsmouth?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Portsmouth, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 1,582 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 344 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, 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 West Portsmouth
Mostly: Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.44 mi NW.
How West Portsmouth ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 91st | 70th | 51st |
| Ohio | 36th | 80th | 30th | 77th |
| Western Allegheny Plateau | 94th | 62nd | 90th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 68% 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 West Portsmouth: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rosemount 3 mi · McDermott 4 mi · Portsmouth 5 mi · New Boston 6 mi · Friendship 6 mi · Lucasville 8 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 West Portsmouth (38.77, -83.039); 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.