community in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Murphy, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 2.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Murphy?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Murphy, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; 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
- Sorghum: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi W, 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 Murphy
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.28 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.33 mi S.
How Murphy ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 86th | 33rd | 57th |
| Oklahoma | 58th | 72nd | 16th | 50th |
| Ozark Highlands | 35th | 44th | 17th | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 92% 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 Murphy: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ballou 2 mi · Pin Oak Acres 3 mi · Cedar Crest 4 mi · Sams Corner 5 mi · Mazie 5 mi · Locust Grove 6 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 Murphy (36.1341, -95.2414); 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.