village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Oakwood Hills, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 19% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oakwood Hills?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oakwood Hills, 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 May 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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
- Corn: about 218 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 42 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Oakwood Hills
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi NE.
How Oakwood Hills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 83rd | 80th | 82nd |
| Illinois | 19th | 94th | 10th | 99th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 69th | 99th | 15th | 84th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Oakwood Hills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Burtons Bridge 2 mi · Port Barrington 2 mi · Prairie Grove 2 mi · Cary 3 mi · Island Lake 3 mi · Holiday Hills 3 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 Oakwood Hills (42.2481, -88.24); 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.