city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Mount Carmel, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Mount Carmel?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Mount Carmel, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion; 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 3,244 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,788 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, 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 Mount Carmel
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.37 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.55 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 78% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Mount Carmel ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 90th | 88th | 47th |
| Illinois | 53rd | 97th | 21st | 84th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 68th | 93rd | 37th | 86th |
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 Mount Carmel: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Keensburg 7 mi · Bellmont 8 mi · Allendale 8 mi · Browns 12 mi · Bone Gap 12 mi · St. Francisville 14 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 Mount Carmel (38.419, -87.7698); 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.