city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Mounds, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 69% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi W); corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mounds?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mounds, 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 6.
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, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- 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 1,609 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 242 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – early 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 Mounds
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Soybeans; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.03 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi S.
How Mounds ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 92nd | 90th | 13th |
| Illinois | 69th | 98th | 27th | 35th |
| Mississippi Alluvial Plain | 71st | 52nd | 74th | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Mounds: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mound City 3 mi · Unity 5 mi · Pulaski 7 mi · Cairo 8 mi · Olmsted 8 mi · Olive Branch 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 Mounds (37.1154, -89.2024); 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.