city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Merrill, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Merrill?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Merrill, 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 6.
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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): 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
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 7,527 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 911 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – late 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 Merrill
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.42 mi W.
How Merrill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 46th | 95th | 41st |
| Iowa | 79th | 70th | 53rd | 61st |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 74th | 80th | 47th | 55th |
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 Merrill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Le Mars 6 mi · Brunsville 6 mi · Hinton 7 mi · Oyens 12 mi · Struble 12 mi · Craig 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 Merrill (42.7204, -96.2519); 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.