community in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Otranto, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 35% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Otranto?
- First forage: Apr 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Otranto, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 8,738 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,876 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Otranto
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi E.
How Otranto ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 42nd | 92nd | 57th |
| Iowa | 35th | 65th | 33rd | 85th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 27th | 76th | 24th | 78th |
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 Otranto: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mona 2 mi · Carpenter 4 mi · Toeterville 5 mi · St. Ansgar 7 mi · Bolan 9 mi · Grafton 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 Otranto (43.4609, -92.9863); 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.