city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Eldon, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 21% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Eldon?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eldon, 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 27.
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, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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
- Soybeans: about 488 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 805 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Eldon
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi N.
How Eldon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 68th | 88th | 51st |
| Iowa | 21st | 89th | 16th | 76th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 39th | 31st | 57th | 75th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Eldon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Batavia 6 mi · Floris 7 mi · Agency 7 mi · Douds 9 mi · Libertyville 9 mi · Leando 10 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 Eldon (40.918, -92.2182); 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.