city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Alta Vista, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Alta Vista?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Alta Vista, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 5,889 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 457 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – 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 Alta Vista
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.31 mi S.
How Alta Vista ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 43rd | 92nd | 54th |
| Iowa | 39th | 67th | 35th | 80th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 31st | 77th | 25th | 73rd |
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 Alta Vista: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elma 4 mi · North Washington 6 mi · Colwell 9 mi · Bassett 11 mi · New Hampton 11 mi · Ionia 11 mi
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 Alta Vista (43.1967, -92.4169); 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.