town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Olathe, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in summer (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Olathe?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Olathe, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, dry Beans, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, dry Beans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 220 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 117 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (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 Olathe
Mostly: Alfalfa; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi W.
How Olathe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 63rd | 85th | 60th |
| Colorado | 99th | 97th | 98th | 27th |
| Colorado Plateaus | 100th | 99th | 100th | 71st |
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 Olathe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Delta 12 mi · Montrose 12 mi · Orchard City 15 mi · Lazear 16 mi · Hotchkiss 20 mi · Cedaredge 20 mi
All towns in Colorado · 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 Olathe (38.6085, -107.9833); 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.