village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 12% 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 1.0 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake in the Hills?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 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 Lake in the Hills, 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 8.
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, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; 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 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 111 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi NE, 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 Lake in the Hills
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 83% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Lake in the Hills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 81st | 78th | 81st |
| Illinois | 12th | 92nd | 8th | 99th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 43rd | 98th | 9th | 82nd |
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 Lake in the Hills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Algonquin 1 mi · Trout Valley 4 mi · Crystal Lake 4 mi · Cary 4 mi · Carpentersville 4 mi · Lakewood 5 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 Lake in the Hills (42.1794, -88.3155); 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.