village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Limestone, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Limestone?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Limestone, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 4,693 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,721 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jul – early 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 Limestone
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi NE; open water 0.19 mi NW.
How Limestone ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 47th | 92nd | 44th |
| Illinois | 42nd | 60th | 40th | 82nd |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 33rd | 79th | 26th | 79th |
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 Limestone: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bonfield 5 mi · Bourbonnais 6 mi · Kankakee 6 mi · Irwin 6 mi · Bradley 6 mi · Sammons Point 9 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 Limestone (41.133, -87.9622); 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.