community in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Simms, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.9 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Simms?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking early Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Simms, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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
- Soybeans: about 364 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SE, blooms early May – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 74 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi E, blooms late May – late Jun (grown 3 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 Simms
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi SW.
How Simms ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 88th | 38th | 58th |
| Oklahoma | 70th | 76th | 33rd | 51st |
| Arkansas Valley | 40th | 36th | 49th | 87th |
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 Simms: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Porum 6 mi · Briartown 8 mi · Webbers Falls 8 mi · Tamaha 8 mi · Stigler 10 mi · Gore 10 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 Simms (35.3987, -95.1647); 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.