community in Oklahoma
Honey bee forage in Sumner, Oklahoma
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Oklahoma. Against other Oklahoma sites it stands out most in summer (93rd percentile) and lowest in spring (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sumner?
- First forage: Feb 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sumner, 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 31.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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 53 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 58 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 2 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 Sumner
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi N.
How Sumner ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 68th | 67th | 66th |
| Oklahoma | 66th | 44th | 93rd | 62nd |
| Central Great Plains | 71st | 80th | 53rd | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Sumner: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Morrison 5 mi · Red Rock 10 mi · Perry 11 mi · Glencoe 12 mi · Stillwater 13 mi · Marland 17 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 Sumner (36.3183, -97.1179); 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.