village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Franklin Park, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 0% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (2nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Franklin Park?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Franklin Park, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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; extra 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
- Corn: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early 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 Franklin Park
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.51 mi S; open water 0.51 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 100% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Franklin Park ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 31st | 52nd | 48th | 60th |
| Illinois | below the 1st | 65th | 2nd | 93rd |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | below the 1st | 82nd | below the 1st | 88th |
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 Franklin Park: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Schiller Park 2 mi · Northlake 2 mi · Stone Park 2 mi · River Grove 2 mi · Melrose Park 2 mi · Elmwood Park 3 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 Franklin Park (41.936, -87.8792); 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.