city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Beardstown, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 7% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Beardstown?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Beardstown, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 2,702 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,409 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SW, 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 Beardstown
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.4 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.55 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 65% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Beardstown ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 66th | 81st | 51st |
| Illinois | 7th | 81st | 12th | 88th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 14th | 62nd | 22nd | 92nd |
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 Beardstown: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Browning 9 mi · Arenzville 10 mi · Rushville 10 mi · Ripley 11 mi · Virginia 12 mi · Concord 14 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 Beardstown (40.0101, -90.4311); 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.