city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Shell Rock, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring and fall (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shell Rock?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shell Rock, 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 8.
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); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; 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); 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 3,309 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,209 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, 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 Shell Rock
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0.02 mi N.
How Shell Rock ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 70th | 89th | 61st |
| Iowa | 40th | 91st | 21st | 91st |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 31st | 96th | 12th | 83rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Shell Rock: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waverly 6 mi · Clarksville 6 mi · Janesville 8 mi · Plainfield 9 mi · New Hartford 10 mi · Allison 11 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 Shell Rock (42.7123, -92.5817); 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.