village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in La Prairie, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in summer (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in La Prairie?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of La Prairie, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, dandelion, clover/Wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 14,629 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 14,848 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms late Apr – late Sep (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 La Prairie
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.32 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi NW.
How La Prairie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 24th | 99th | 10th |
| Illinois | 99th | 37th | 93rd | 28th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 98th | 10th | 99th | 15th |
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 La Prairie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Golden 3 mi · Augusta 6 mi · Bowen 7 mi · Camp Point 8 mi · Clayton 8 mi · Plymouth 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 Prairie (40.1473, -91.0024); 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.