village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Gridley, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in summer (70th percentile) and lowest in spring and fall (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.9 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Gridley?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Gridley, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 16,301 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 16,741 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi N, blooms early Jun – late 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 Gridley
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.83 mi S; open water 1.02 mi SE.
How Gridley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 44th | 97th | 24th |
| Illinois | 88th | 57th | 70th | 57th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 83rd | 77th | 54th | 67th |
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 Gridley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
El Paso 7 mi · Panola 8 mi · Chenoa 8 mi · Kappa 8 mi · Lexington 8 mi · Flanagan 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 Gridley (40.7437, -88.8809); 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.