village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Equality, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 81% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (33rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Equality?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Equality, 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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 1,696 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,068 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 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 Equality
Mostly: Soybeans; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.32 mi E.
How Equality ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 88th | 91st | 23rd |
| Illinois | 81st | 97th | 33rd | 55th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 90th | 92nd | 53rd | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Equality: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Junction 6 mi · Ridgway 6 mi · Eldorado 7 mi · Shawneetown 9 mi · Muddy 10 mi · Omaha 11 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 Equality (37.7369, -88.3422); 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.