city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Volga, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 11% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Volga?
- 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, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Volga, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, 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
- Corn: about 431 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 71 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 78 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Volga
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.2 mi NW.
How Volga ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 61st | 86th | 65th |
| Iowa | 11th | 83rd | 12th | 96th |
| Driftless Area | 68th | 75th | 56th | 46th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Volga: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wadena 6 mi · Arlington 8 mi · Elkader 8 mi · Strawberry Point 8 mi · Elgin 12 mi · St. Olaf 12 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 Volga (42.8029, -91.5423); 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.