town in Colorado
Honey bee forage in Platteville, Colorado
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Colorado. Against other Colorado sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Platteville?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Platteville, 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 May 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 150 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 375 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 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 Platteville
Mostly: Corn; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.04 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi NE.
How Platteville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 66th | 83rd | 67th |
| Colorado | 98th | 98th | 95th | 39th |
| High Plains | 96th | 91st | 90th | 61st |
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 Platteville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gilcrest 5 mi · Milliken 6 mi · Johnstown 7 mi · Firestone 8 mi · Berthoud 8 mi · Mead 8 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 Platteville (40.2228, -104.8336); 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.