city in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Checotah, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 94% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 2.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Checotah?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Checotah, 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 Mar 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi W, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jun (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 Checotah
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.1 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW.
How Checotah ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 97th | 52nd | 20th |
| Oklahoma | 94th | 95th | 79th | 13th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 27th | 96th | 3rd | 23rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Checotah: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rentiesville 4 mi · Shady Grove 6 mi · Oktaha 7 mi · Duchess Landing 8 mi · Texanna 9 mi · Council Hill 9 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 Checotah (35.4824, -95.5228); 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.