village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Bowen, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bowen?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bowen, 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; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 12,478 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12,528 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 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 Bowen
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi S; open water 0.67 mi NE.
How Bowen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 34th | 98th | 16th |
| Illinois | 85th | 45th | 75th | 42nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 92nd | 18th | 92nd | 29th |
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 Bowen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Augusta 6 mi · West Point 7 mi · La Prairie 7 mi · Bentley 8 mi · Golden 9 mi · Plymouth 9 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 Bowen (40.2321, -91.0633); 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.