city in Iowa
Honey bee forage in West Des Moines, Iowa
Estimated forage here is better than about 14% of sites in Iowa. Against other Iowa sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in summer (3rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Des Moines?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Des Moines, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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 28 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, 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 West Des Moines
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.2 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How West Des Moines ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 89th | 77th | 72nd |
| Iowa | 14th | 100th | 3rd | 99th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 8th | 99th | 2nd | 95th |
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 West Des Moines: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Clive 4 mi · Cumming 5 mi · Windsor Heights 5 mi · Waukee 6 mi · Urbandale 6 mi · Norwalk 6 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 West Des Moines (41.5499, -93.7814); 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.