city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Carter Lake, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 1% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.7 mi E); corn (nearest 2.0 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 2.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Carter Lake?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Carter Lake, 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, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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
- Soybeans: about 967 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi N, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,051 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Carter Lake
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.29 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.38 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 80% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Carter Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 75th | 66th | 66th |
| Iowa | 1st | 94th | 1st | 96th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 1st | 97th | below the 1st | 88th |
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 Carter Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Council Bluffs 5 mi · Crescent 6 mi · Weston 10 mi · McClelland 13 mi · Underwood 14 mi · Loveland 14 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 Carter Lake (41.2885, -95.9169); 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.