city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Champaign, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 12% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Champaign?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Champaign, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, black locust; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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 1,803 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,821 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi NW, 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 Champaign
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.42 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.64 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 99% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Champaign ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 83rd | 77th | 71st |
| Illinois | 12th | 94th | 8th | 96th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 9th | 98th | 6th | 94th |
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 Champaign: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Savoy 4 mi · Urbana 4 mi · Bondville 5 mi · Mahomet 8 mi · Seymour 8 mi · Lake of the Woods 8 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 Champaign (40.1141, -88.2746); 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.