village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Macedonia, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in summer (40th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Macedonia?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Macedonia, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 1,186 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late May – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 661 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Macedonia
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi N.
How Macedonia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 65th | 92nd | 15th |
| Illinois | 58th | 79th | 40th | 41st |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 73rd | 59th | 60th | 27th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Macedonia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ewing 8 mi · McLeansboro 9 mi · Hanaford 10 mi · Dahlgren 10 mi · Thompsonville 10 mi · Benton 12 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 Macedonia (38.0543, -88.7033); 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.