city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in East St. Louis, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 7% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (4th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in East St. Louis?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East St. Louis, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi SE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 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 St. Louis
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.6 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 1.41 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 98% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How East St. Louis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 89th | 66th | 56th |
| Illinois | 7th | 97th | 4th | 91st |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 14th | 92nd | 10th | 96th |
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 St. Louis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Washington Park 2 mi · Sauget 2 mi · Fairmont City 3 mi · Brooklyn 3 mi · Cahokia Heights 3 mi · Venice 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 St. Louis (38.6164, -90.1305); 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.