city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Red Oak, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Red Oak?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Red Oak, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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 281 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi N, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,815 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Jul (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 Red Oak
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.45 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.48 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Red Oak ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 84th | 87th | 63rd |
| Iowa | 42nd | 99th | 15th | 94th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 33rd | 99th | 8th | 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 Red Oak: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stanton 7 mi · Coburg 7 mi · Emerson 9 mi · Elliott 10 mi · Essex 13 mi · Henderson 14 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 Red Oak (41.0141, -95.2244); 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.