village in Illinois

Honey bee forage in Lakemoor, Illinois

Estimated forage here is better than about 6% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (7th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Lakemoor?

  • First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Season ends: Oct 15
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lakemoor, 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 9.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months

Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.

Bee crops within flight range

  • Corn: about 602 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
  • Soybeans: about 97 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Lakemoor

Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Open water; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.

Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.02 mi S; open water 0.03 mi NE.

How Lakemoor ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US75th71st76th72nd
Illinois6th85th7th97th
Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains15th92nd7th55th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 40% 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 Lakemoor: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Volo 2 mi · Holiday Hills 3 mi · Johnsburg 4 mi · Island Lake 4 mi · Burtons Bridge 4 mi · Pistakee Highlands 4 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 Lakemoor (42.3389, -88.2027); 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.