city in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Alva, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in summer (74th percentile) and lowest in fall (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alva?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alva, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Alfalfa: about 149 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 83 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early 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 Alva
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.1 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 45% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
- Heavily developed. About 51% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Alva ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 52nd | 74th | 49th | 46th |
| Oklahoma | 45th | 53rd | 74th | 36th |
| Central Great Plains | 51st | 86th | 36th | 44th |
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 Alva: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hopeton 7 mi · Capron 9 mi · Avard 9 mi · Dacoma 11 mi · Lambert 15 mi · Burlington 15 mi
All towns in Oklahoma · National map · How the scoring works
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 Alva (36.7896, -98.6649); 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.