village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Irving, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Irving?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Irving, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 5,409 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7,245 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Irving
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.66 mi E.
How Irving ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 58th | 94th | 29th |
| Illinois | 68th | 71st | 50th | 64th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 81st | 48th | 71st | 59th |
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 Irving: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hillsboro 4 mi · Witt 4 mi · Schram City 5 mi · Butler 7 mi · Taylor Springs 7 mi · Coalton 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 Irving (39.2055, -89.4052); 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.