city in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Cushing, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (62nd). Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river, 0.32 mi SW.
When is the honey flow in Cushing?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cushing, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Cushing
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.32 mi SW; open water 0.33 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 85% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Cushing ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 95th | 55th | 67th |
| Oklahoma | 89th | 86th | 83rd | 62nd |
| Central Great Plains | 82nd | 100th | 40th | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Cushing: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ripley 8 mi · Agra 8 mi · Drumright 9 mi · Yale 10 mi · Ingalls 11 mi · Mehan 11 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 Cushing (35.9797, -96.7618); 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.