city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in East Moline, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 7% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in East Moline?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East Moline, 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 May 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Corn: about 177 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 98 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Moline
Mostly: Open water; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.05 mi NW.
How East Moline ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 69th | 80th | 63rd |
| Illinois | 7th | 84th | 10th | 94th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 15th | 66th | 20th | 100th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 East Moline: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Carbon Cliff 2 mi · Barstow 2 mi · Silvis 2 mi · Campbell's Island 3 mi · Hampton 3 mi · Cleveland 4 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 Moline (41.5199, -90.3879); 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.