city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Luana, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 29% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (57th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Luana?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Luana, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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, 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 15,230 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,042 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 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 Luana
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi N; open water 0.49 mi NE.
How Luana ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 33rd | 93rd | 35th |
| Iowa | 29th | 57th | 36th | 53rd |
| Driftless Area | 92nd | 13th | 93rd | 2nd |
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 Luana: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Monona 3 mi · Postville 6 mi · Farmersburg 8 mi · St. Olaf 10 mi · Clermont 11 mi · Elgin 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 Luana (43.0594, -91.4557); 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.