city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Mount Ayr, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in summer (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mount Ayr?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mount Ayr, 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 Apr 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 356 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 228 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, 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 Mount Ayr
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi SW; open water 0.39 mi S.
How Mount Ayr ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 88th | 86th | 67th |
| Iowa | 37th | 100th | 12th | 97th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 66th | 74th | 47th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Mount Ayr: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Delphos 6 mi · Benton 6 mi · Diagonal 9 mi · Maloy 10 mi · Kellerton 10 mi · Tingley 10 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 Mount Ayr (40.7141, -94.2372); 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.