community in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Heritage Lake, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Heritage Lake?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Heritage Lake, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, 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; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, 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 5,255 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,573 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, 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 Heritage Lake
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi SE; open water 0.03 mi SE.
How Heritage Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 70th | 87th | 52nd |
| Illinois | 25th | 84th | 19th | 89th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 18th | 93rd | 13th | 83rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Heritage Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mackinaw 2 mi · Deer Creek 6 mi · Goodfield 7 mi · Minier 8 mi · Congerville 8 mi · Danvers 8 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 Heritage Lake (40.5466, -89.3296); 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.