city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Eldridge, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 31% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Eldridge?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Eldridge, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, 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
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; 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 5,531 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3,470 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Eldridge
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.02 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.51 mi NW.
How Eldridge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 45th | 92nd | 46th |
| Iowa | 31st | 69th | 30th | 68th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 22nd | 79th | 20th | 63rd |
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 Eldridge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Long Grove 4 mi · Park View 4 mi · Davenport 6 mi · Donahue 6 mi · Maysville 7 mi · Bettendorf 7 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 Eldridge (41.639, -90.5809); 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.