city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Riverdale, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 0% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (below the 1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Riverdale?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Riverdale, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 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 Riverdale
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.22 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 61% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Riverdale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 61st | 60th | 62nd |
| Iowa | below the 1st | 83rd | below the 1st | 92nd |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | below the 1st | 91st | below the 1st | 84th |
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 Riverdale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Panorama Park 1 mi · Bettendorf 2 mi · Le Claire 6 mi · Argo 6 mi · Davenport 7 mi · Eldridge 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 Riverdale (41.5373, -90.4636); 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.