village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Altona, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Illinois. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other Illinois sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Altona?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Altona, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 14,168 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 9,473 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 59 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms early Jun – late 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 Altona
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.33 mi W.
How Altona ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 46th | 97th | 28th |
| Illinois | 83rd | 59th | 66th | 63rd |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 76th | 79th | 49th | 70th |
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 Altona: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Nekoma 4 mi · Oneida 4 mi · Bishop Hill 6 mi · Victoria 7 mi · Galva 8 mi · Wataga 8 mi
All towns in Illinois · National map · How the scoring works
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 Altona (41.1151, -90.1648); 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.