city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Alcoa, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in summer (78th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alcoa?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alcoa, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 63 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 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 Alcoa
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.25 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 60% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Alcoa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 93rd | 67th | 30th |
| Tennessee | 73rd | 69th | 78th | 45th |
| Ridge and Valley | 92nd | 89th | 83rd | 21st |
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 Alcoa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rockford 2 mi · Eagleton Village 3 mi · Maryville 5 mi · Louisville 5 mi · Wildwood 6 mi · Friendsville 10 mi
All towns in Tennessee · 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 Alcoa (35.8148, -83.9681); 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.