city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Belmond, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 39% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Belmond?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Belmond, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, 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 9,110 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2,318 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, 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 Belmond
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.3 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.39 mi S.
How Belmond ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 64th | 90th | 61st |
| Iowa | 39th | 86th | 23rd | 91st |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 30th | 92nd | 14th | 83rd |
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 Belmond: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Goodell 5 mi · Alexander 7 mi · Rowan 8 mi · Meservey 8 mi · Clarion 10 mi · Galt 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 Belmond (42.8464, -93.6084); 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.