city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Hopkinton, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 15% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi NW); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hopkinton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hopkinton, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 4,530 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 172 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, 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 Hopkinton
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.15 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi SW.
How Hopkinton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 68th | 86th | 60th |
| Iowa | 15th | 90th | 12th | 89th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 8th | 95th | 6th | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Hopkinton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Delhi 7 mi · Worthington 8 mi · Monticello 8 mi · Earlville 10 mi · Delaware 10 mi · Prairieburg 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 Hopkinton (42.3429, -91.249); 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.