city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Dayton, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.6 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dayton?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dayton, 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, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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, 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 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 111 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (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 Dayton
Mostly: Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland; Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 69% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Dayton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 93rd | 48th | 38th |
| Tennessee | 57th | 71st | 56th | 66th |
| Ridge and Valley | 80th | 89th | 59th | 35th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Dayton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Graysville 5 mi · Sale Creek 9 mi · Decatur 12 mi · Pikeville 13 mi · Spring City 15 mi · Flat Top Mountain 16 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 Dayton (35.4954, -85.0087); 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.