city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Stanley, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in summer (62nd percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Stanley?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Stanley, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 5,128 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 8,963 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early 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 Stanley
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi S.
How Stanley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 25th | 96th | 22nd |
| Iowa | 64th | 49th | 62nd | 39th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 58th | 57th | 58th | 35th |
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 Stanley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Aurora 4 mi · Hazleton 5 mi · Oelwein 6 mi · Lamont 9 mi · Maynard 10 mi · Arlington 10 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 Stanley (42.642, -91.8119); 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.