city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Harrisburg, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Harrisburg?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Harrisburg, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, lindens / basswood; extra 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, garden flowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 206 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late May – 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 Harrisburg
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.26 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 87% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Harrisburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 93rd | 84th | 45th |
| Illinois | 37th | 98th | 13th | 83rd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 51st | 97th | 25th | 84th |
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 Harrisburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Muddy 3 mi · Carrier Mills 6 mi · Raleigh 6 mi · Eldorado 8 mi · Galatia 8 mi · Equality 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 Harrisburg (37.7377, -88.5458); 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.