community in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Indianola, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 2.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Indianola?
- 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 Jul 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Indianola, 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 2.
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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 72 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early 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 Indianola
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi NE.
How Indianola ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 97th | 57th | 34th |
| Oklahoma | 93rd | 95th | 85th | 24th |
| Ozark Highlands | 89th | 96th | 69th | 10th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 93% 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 Indianola: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sycamore 4 mi · Deer Lick 4 mi · White Water 5 mi · Oak Hill-Piney 5 mi · Brush Creek 6 mi · Jay 7 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 Indianola (36.4445, -94.6747); 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.