village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Mechanicsburg, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mechanicsburg?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Mechanicsburg, 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 23.
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
- 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, 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 4,814 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,125 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Mechanicsburg
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S.
How Mechanicsburg ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 56th | 94th | 30th |
| Illinois | 57th | 70th | 46th | 66th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 47th | 84th | 29th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Mechanicsburg: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Buffalo 4 mi · Dawson 5 mi · Rochester 7 mi · Riverton 7 mi · Mount Auburn 8 mi · Spaulding 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 Mechanicsburg (39.7972, -89.4107); 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.