city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Perry, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Perry?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Perry, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, black locust; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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 2,872 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,057 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, 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 Perry
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.53 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.72 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Perry ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 76th | 91st | 63rd |
| Iowa | 68th | 95th | 26th | 94th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 62nd | 97th | 17th | 85th |
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 Perry: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bouton 4 mi · Minburn 6 mi · Dawson 7 mi · Berkley 8 mi · Rippey 9 mi · Woodward 9 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 Perry (41.8379, -94.0933); 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.