community in Illinois
Honey bee forage in La Clede, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (76th percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in La Clede?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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 La Clede, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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 4,940 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3,649 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 La Clede
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 NW; pond, lake or river 0.29 mi W.
How La Clede ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 61st | 92nd | 35th |
| Illinois | 50th | 76th | 37th | 71st |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 65th | 54th | 58th | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 La Clede: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Edgewood 4 mi · Farina 5 mi · Iola 6 mi · Mason 7 mi · St. Peter 7 mi · Kinmundy 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 La Clede (38.8806, -88.7127); 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.