city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Belvidere, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 18% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Belvidere?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, 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 Belvidere, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 381 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,277 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi N, blooms early Jul – 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 Belvidere
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Corn; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.03 mi NW.
How Belvidere ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 70th | 86th | 61st |
| Illinois | 18th | 84th | 16th | 94th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 14th | 93rd | 11th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Belvidere: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cherry Valley 5 mi · Timberlane 5 mi · Candlewick Lake 6 mi · Poplar Grove 6 mi · Argyle 7 mi · Caledonia 7 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 Belvidere (42.2654, -88.8878); 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.