city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Eldorado, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Eldorado?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eldorado, 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 11.
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, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 4,124 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3,306 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, 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 Eldorado
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.48 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 77% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Eldorado ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 93rd | 89th | 36th |
| Illinois | 62nd | 98th | 22nd | 72nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 76th | 96th | 39th | 70th |
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 Eldorado: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Raleigh 5 mi · Muddy 5 mi · Equality 7 mi · Harrisburg 8 mi · Broughton 9 mi · Omaha 9 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 Eldorado (37.8117, -88.4416); 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.