city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Colwell, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Iowa. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Iowa sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Colwell?
- 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: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Colwell, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 7,794 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3,465 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, 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 Colwell
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi E; open water 0.3 mi SW.
How Colwell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 30th | 94th | 36th |
| Iowa | 44th | 54th | 46th | 55th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 36th | 63rd | 39th | 50th |
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 Colwell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Charles City 8 mi · Bassett 8 mi · Floyd 8 mi · New Haven 9 mi · Alta Vista 9 mi · North Washington 9 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 Colwell (43.1572, -92.5916); 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.