town in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Naples, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (59th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Naples?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Naples, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 3,340 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3,239 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Naples
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi SE.
How Naples ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 46th | 94th | 24th |
| Illinois | 48th | 59th | 46th | 57th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 63rd | 33rd | 66th | 50th |
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 Naples: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bluffs 4 mi · Valley City 4 mi · Oxville 4 mi · Meredosia 6 mi · Exeter 6 mi · Griggsville 7 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 Naples (39.7535, -90.6069); 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.