community in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Lakewood, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in summer (68th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lakewood?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lakewood, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 11,492 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10,430 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Clover and wildflowers: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 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 Lakewood
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.19 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi E.
How Lakewood ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 45th | 97th | 19th |
| Illinois | 86th | 58th | 68th | 49th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 93rd | 32nd | 86th | 38th |
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 Lakewood: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tower Hill 5 mi · Cowden 6 mi · Shelbyville 8 mi · Herrick 9 mi · Westervelt 11 mi · Beecher City 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 Lakewood (39.3235, -88.8982); 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.