city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in St. Donatus, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 3% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi W); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Donatus?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Donatus, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, soybeans; 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
- Corn: about 253 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 31 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Jun – late 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 St. Donatus
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi SW.
How St. Donatus ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 62nd | 80th | 63rd |
| Iowa | 3rd | 84th | 6th | 94th |
| Driftless Area | 38th | 80th | 32nd | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 63% 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 St. Donatus: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
La Motte 6 mi · Zwingle 9 mi · Bellevue 9 mi · Dubuque 13 mi · Springbrook 14 mi · Andrew 15 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 St. Donatus (42.3624, -90.5422); 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.