city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Sageville, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 4% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (2nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sageville?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sageville, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 51 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, 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 Sageville
Mostly: Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.68 mi NE.
How Sageville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 79th | 74th | 71st |
| Iowa | 4th | 96th | 2nd | 99th |
| Driftless Area | 45th | 99th | 11th | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 54% 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 Sageville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dubuque 4 mi · Durango 4 mi · Asbury 5 mi · Sherrill 5 mi · Centralia 9 mi · Rickardsville 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 Sageville (42.5503, -90.7069); 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.