city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Breese, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 49% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Breese?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Breese, 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 16.
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, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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
- Corn: about 7,095 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,426 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 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 Breese
Mostly: Corn; North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest; Dbl Crop WinWht/Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi NE; open water 0.38 mi E.
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 Breese ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 75th | 90th | 40th |
| Illinois | 49th | 88th | 29th | 77th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 65th | 74th | 47th | 76th |
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 Breese: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Germantown 4 mi · Aviston 5 mi · Beckemeyer 5 mi · St. Rose 5 mi · Bartelso 6 mi · Albers 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 Breese (38.6138, -89.5237); 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.