city in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Ponca City, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 93% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ponca City?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ponca City, 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Soybeans: about 154 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 72 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi N, 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 Ponca City
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; open water 0.28 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 91% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ponca City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 97th | 63rd | 53rd |
| Oklahoma | 93rd | 92nd | 91st | 44th |
| Central Great Plains | 86th | 100th | 48th | 53rd |
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 Ponca City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McCord 4 mi · Kildare 6 mi · White Eagle 7 mi · Newkirk 11 mi · Tonkawa Tribal Housing 12 mi · Kaw City 12 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 Ponca City (36.7204, -97.066); 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.