city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Star, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 1.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Star?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Star, 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 Apr 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, garden flowers; 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 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms early Jun – 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 Star
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Annual Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.25 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Star ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 92nd | 82nd | 73rd |
| Idaho | 99th | 100th | 83rd | 42nd |
| Snake River Plain | 99th | 99th | 84th | 32nd |
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 Star: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Eagle 4 mi · Middleton 6 mi · Meridian 8 mi · Nampa 9 mi · Caldwell 9 mi · Garden City 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 Star (43.7035, -116.4925); 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.