village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in East Cape Girardeau, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in East Cape Girardeau?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East Cape Girardeau, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 2,155 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, 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 East Cape Girardeau
Mostly: Soybeans; Open water; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi E.
How East Cape Girardeau ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 60th | 97th | 8th |
| Illinois | 97th | 74th | 65th | 24th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 97th | 52nd | 84th | 12th |
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 East Cape Girardeau: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McClure 3 mi · Thebes 6 mi · Olive Branch 10 mi · Tamms 12 mi · Mill Creek 13 mi · Unity 15 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 East Cape Girardeau (37.294, -89.4802); 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.