city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Jonesboro, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 18% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in summer (4th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Jonesboro?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 31 (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Jonesboro, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 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 Jonesboro
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi SE; open water 0.29 mi E.
How Jonesboro ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 97th | 67th | 38th |
| Illinois | 18th | 100th | 4th | 75th |
| Interior Plateau | 84th | 97th | 66th | 65th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 56% 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 Jonesboro: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Anna 2 mi · Cobden 6 mi · Mill Creek 8 mi · Dongola 9 mi · Alto Pass 9 mi · Makanda 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 Jonesboro (37.451, -89.2666); 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.