city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in Waukon, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Waukon?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Waukon, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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
- Corn: about 3,489 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 478 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Waukon
Mostly: Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.81 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.82 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Waukon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 61st | 89th | 74th |
| Iowa | 28th | 83rd | 20th | 99th |
| Driftless Area | 91st | 75th | 75th | 93rd |
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 Waukon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Waterville 10 mi · Postville 13 mi · Lansing 14 mi · Luana 14 mi · Castalia 15 mi · Decorah 16 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 Waukon (43.2685, -91.4785); 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.