city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Fruitland, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring and fall (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fruitland?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fruitland, 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 29.
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, dry Beans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 641 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,046 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 Fruitland
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.81 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.81 mi E.
How Fruitland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 49th | 94th | 48th |
| Iowa | 63rd | 72nd | 43rd | 72nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 71st | 37th | 68th | 89th |
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 Fruitland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Letts 6 mi · Grandview 6 mi · Muscatine 6 mi · Kent Estates 9 mi · Conesville 12 mi · Fredonia 12 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 Fruitland (41.3475, -91.1288); 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.