city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Sully, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sully?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sully, 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 3.
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, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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
- Soybeans: about 6,403 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9,211 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 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 Sully
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi E; open water 0.38 mi SE.
How Sully ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 45th | 94th | 34th |
| Iowa | 52nd | 69th | 42nd | 52nd |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 45th | 79th | 33rd | 47th |
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 Sully: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lynnville 3 mi · Searsboro 7 mi · Reasnor 9 mi · Oakland Acres 10 mi · Kellogg 10 mi · Pella 13 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 Sully (41.578, -92.8468); 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.