city in Tennessee
Honey bee forage in Watauga, Tennessee
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Tennessee. Against other Tennessee sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.5 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.0 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Watauga?
- 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: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Watauga, 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 6.
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; extra 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
- Corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 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 Watauga
Mostly: Southern Appalachian Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi SW.
How Watauga ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 93rd | 41st | 37th |
| Tennessee | 48th | 70th | 47th | 62nd |
| Ridge and Valley | 72nd | 89th | 48th | 33rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Watauga: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Central 2 mi · Elizabethton 4 mi · Biltmore 4 mi · Johnson City 5 mi · Pine Crest 5 mi · Bluff City 6 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 Watauga (36.3683, -82.292); 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.