community in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Lakewood Shores, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 18% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lakewood Shores?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lakewood Shores, 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 2.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 182 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 213 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Lakewood Shores
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi W.
How Lakewood Shores ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 60th | 88th | 57th |
| Illinois | 18th | 73rd | 20th | 92nd |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 13th | 87th | 14th | 86th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 34% 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 Lakewood Shores: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rest Haven 2 mi · Ritchie 2 mi · Custer Park 3 mi · Wilmington 3 mi · Braidwood 4 mi · Diamond 6 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 Shores (41.2801, -88.1428); 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.