village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Eldred, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 24% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring and fall (66th percentile) and lowest in summer (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Eldred?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eldred, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Corn: about 4,817 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3,107 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 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 Eldred
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SE.
How Eldred ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 53rd | 90th | 31st |
| Illinois | 24th | 66th | 28th | 66th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 36th | 41st | 45th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Eldred: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kampsville 3 mi · Carrollton 8 mi · Hamburg 9 mi · Hardin 10 mi · Hillview 11 mi · Fieldon 13 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 Eldred (39.2862, -90.554); 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.