city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Hamilton, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 2% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in summer (4th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hamilton?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hamilton, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 3,945 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,273 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Hamilton
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N.
How Hamilton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 66th | 69th | 50th |
| Illinois | 2nd | 80th | 4th | 87th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 3rd | 61st | 12th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Hamilton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Warsaw 4 mi · Elvaston 6 mi · Basco 10 mi · Nauvoo 11 mi · Ferris 11 mi · Carthage 12 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 Hamilton (40.3915, -91.3613); 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.