city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Lehigh, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lehigh?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lehigh, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 2,465 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,874 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Lehigh
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) 0.13 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi NE.
How Lehigh ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 70th | 89th | 53rd |
| Iowa | 33rd | 91st | 20th | 79th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 24th | 95th | 11th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Lehigh: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Coalville 6 mi · Otho 7 mi · Dayton 7 mi · Duncombe 8 mi · Stratford 9 mi · Harcourt 9 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 Lehigh (42.3582, -94.0534); 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.