community in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Bethpage, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bethpage?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bethpage, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 101 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi S, blooms early Jun – early 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 Bethpage
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; open water 0.02 mi S.
How Bethpage ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 95th | 43rd | 28th |
| Tennessee | 60th | 88th | 49th | 43rd |
| Interior Plateau | 49th | 90th | 30th | 39th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Bethpage: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bransford 2 mi · Castalian Springs 6 mi · Westmoreland 7 mi · Oak Grove 7 mi · Graball 7 mi · Fairfield 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 Bethpage (36.4843, -86.3085); 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.