village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Butler, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (77th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Butler?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Butler, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): 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
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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 5,345 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,814 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Butler
Mostly: Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi S; open water 0.21 mi S.
How Butler ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 62nd | 93rd | 30th |
| Illinois | 62nd | 77th | 44th | 65th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 77th | 56th | 64th | 61st |
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 Butler: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hillsboro 4 mi · Schram City 4 mi · Taylor Springs 5 mi · Irving 7 mi · Litchfield 7 mi · Raymond 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 Butler (39.1975, -89.5322); 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.