city in Idaho
Honey bee forage in Wendell, Idaho
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Idaho. Against other Idaho sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wendell?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wendell, 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, alfalfa, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, spotted and diffuse knapweed, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, spotted and diffuse knapweed, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 5,037 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 472 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 5 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 Wendell
Mostly: Corn; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Perennial Grassland and Forbland; Great Basin & Intermountain Introduced Annual Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.35 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.35 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 51% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Wendell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 65th | 86th | 73rd |
| Idaho | 98th | 97th | 95th | 41st |
| Snake River Plain | 97th | 95th | 94th | 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 Wendell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hagerman 10 mi · Jerome 10 mi · Gooding 11 mi · Buhl 13 mi · Filer 15 mi · Bliss 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 Wendell (42.7747, -114.703); 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.