city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Modale, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Modale?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Modale, 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 1.
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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 6,787 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9,974 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early 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 Modale
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi W.
How Modale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 33rd | 97th | 25th |
| Iowa | 91st | 57th | 75th | 42nd |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 89th | 66th | 71st | 38th |
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 Modale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
California Junction 4 mi · Mondamin 6 mi · Missouri Valley 7 mi · Magnolia 9 mi · Loveland 10 mi · Logan 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 Modale (41.6182, -96.0121); 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.