city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in McIntire, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in McIntire?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of McIntire, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 5,791 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 120 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 McIntire
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.44 mi SW.
How McIntire ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 45th | 90th | 69th |
| Iowa | 25th | 69th | 24th | 98th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 17th | 80th | 15th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 McIntire: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Riceville 6 mi · Meyer 6 mi · Little Cedar 8 mi · Stacyville 10 mi · New Haven 11 mi · Chester 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 McIntire (43.4359, -92.5936); 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.