village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Homewood, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 15% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Homewood?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Homewood, 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, black locust; 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, lindens / basswood; 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 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 53 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 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 Homewood
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.75 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.77 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 96% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Homewood ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 87th | 77th | 81st |
| Illinois | 15th | 96th | 8th | 99th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 12th | 99th | 5th | 98th |
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 Homewood: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
East Hazel Crest 1 mi · Hazel Crest 2 mi · Flossmoor 2 mi · Thornton 2 mi · Glenwood 3 mi · Olympia Fields 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 Homewood (41.5585, -87.6613); 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.