village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Dowell, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dowell?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dowell, 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 12.
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, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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 2,036 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,446 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms early Jun – early 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 Dowell
Mostly: North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.09 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi S.
How Dowell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 73rd | 95th | 17th |
| Illinois | 99th | 87th | 57th | 46th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 98th | 71st | 76th | 34th |
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 Dowell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elkville 2 mi · Du Quoin 4 mi · Vergennes 6 mi · St. Johns 7 mi · Mulkeytown 8 mi · Royalton 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 Dowell (37.9396, -89.2395); 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.