city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in St. Lucas, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 23% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (65th percentile) and lowest in summer (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in St. Lucas?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of St. Lucas, 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 11.
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); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 11,587 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 464 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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. Lucas
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi SW.
How St. Lucas ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 39th | 91st | 43rd |
| Iowa | 23rd | 64th | 29th | 65th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 15th | 73rd | 19th | 59th |
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 St. Lucas: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waucoma 5 mi · Fort Atkinson 5 mi · Jackson Junction 6 mi · Calmar 9 mi · Hawkeye 9 mi · Spillville 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 St. Lucas (43.0665, -91.9341); 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.