city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Marathon, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 100% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in summer (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Marathon?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Marathon, 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, 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 13,850 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 11,938 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, 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 Marathon
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.48 mi NW; pond, lake or river 1.14 mi W.
How Marathon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 38th | 98th | 28th |
| Iowa | 100th | 62nd | 87th | 47th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 100th | 72nd | 86th | 43rd |
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 Marathon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Albert City 6 mi · Webb 6 mi · Laurens 7 mi · Sioux Rapids 9 mi · Rembrandt 10 mi · Gillett Grove 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 Marathon (42.8602, -94.9829); 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.