community in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Chestnut, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in fall (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chestnut?
- 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 Chestnut, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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 10,764 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 11,637 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, 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 Chestnut
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.7 mi NW.
How Chestnut ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 33rd | 98th | 13th |
| Illinois | 84th | 44th | 75th | 36th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 78th | 68th | 60th | 49th |
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 Chestnut: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mount Pulaski 6 mi · Latham 6 mi · Kenney 6 mi · Beason 6 mi · Warrensburg 11 mi · Lincoln 12 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 Chestnut (40.0537, -89.1871); 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.