town in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Decatur, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in fall (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.4 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Decatur?
- 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))
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Jun 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Decatur, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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, 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 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 48 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, 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 Decatur
Mostly: Southern Ridge and Valley / Cumberland Dry Calcareous Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southern Appalachian Low-Elevation Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi N.
How Decatur ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 92nd | 42nd | 39th |
| Tennessee | 48th | 63rd | 48th | 70th |
| Ridge and Valley | 72nd | 87th | 48th | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Decatur: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riceville 11 mi · Spring City 12 mi · Athens 12 mi · Dayton 12 mi · Niota 14 mi · Calhoun 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 Decatur (35.5291, -84.7933); 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.