town in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Billings, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in summer (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Billings?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Billings, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some 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 909 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 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 Billings
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.38 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi W.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 43% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Billings ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 56th | 76th | 31st |
| Oklahoma | 57th | 22nd | 97th | 21st |
| Central Great Plains | 65th | 63rd | 65th | 31st |
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 Billings: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Garber 10 mi · Tonkawa 12 mi · Hunter 12 mi · Lamont 12 mi · Tonkawa Tribal Housing 13 mi · Red Rock 16 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 Billings (36.5376, -97.4417); 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.