city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Rose Hill, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in summer (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rose Hill?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rose Hill, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 1,014 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 993 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 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 Rose Hill
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.33 mi NW.
How Rose Hill ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 57th | 92nd | 48th |
| Iowa | 46th | 79th | 30th | 70th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 38th | 88th | 21st | 65th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Rose Hill: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Keomah Village 4 mi · Delta 7 mi · Fremont 8 mi · What Cheer 8 mi · University Park 8 mi · Oskaloosa 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 Rose Hill (41.3204, -92.4636); 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.