city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in O'Fallon, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (10th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in O'Fallon?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of O'Fallon, 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, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 844 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, 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 O'Fallon
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How O'Fallon ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 94th | 80th | 57th |
| Illinois | 27th | 99th | 10th | 92nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 40th | 97th | 20th | 97th |
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 O'Fallon: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shiloh 3 mi · Fairview Heights 5 mi · Swansea 5 mi · Scott AFB 5 mi · Lebanon 6 mi · Caseyville 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 O'Fallon (38.6, -89.9154); 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.