town in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Astoria, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 43% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (79th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Astoria?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Astoria, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 1,987 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,957 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Astoria
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi NW; open water 0.38 mi N.
How Astoria ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 61st | 91st | 41st |
| Illinois | 43rd | 74th | 34th | 79th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 59th | 52nd | 54th | 78th |
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 Astoria: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Vermont 6 mi · Browning 7 mi · Ipava 9 mi · Table Grove 10 mi · Bath 12 mi · Rushville 13 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 Astoria (40.2279, -90.3565); 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.