city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Laurens, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 96% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in summer (62nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Laurens?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Laurens, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- 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; 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 9,947 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7,607 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jul – early 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 Laurens
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.32 mi E; open water 0.34 mi NE.
How Laurens ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 48th | 96th | 45th |
| Iowa | 96th | 72nd | 62nd | 67th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 95th | 82nd | 58th | 61st |
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 Laurens: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Albert City 7 mi · Marathon 7 mi · Havelock 8 mi · Mallard 10 mi · Curlew 11 mi · Webb 11 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 Laurens (42.8475, -94.8479); 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.