village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Okawville, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 99% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Okawville?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Okawville, 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, 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): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 4,105 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,946 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, 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 Okawville
Mostly: North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 52% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Okawville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 99th | 79th | 95th | 31st |
| Illinois | 99th | 91st | 54th | 67th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 99th | 80th | 75th | 63rd |
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 Okawville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Addieville 4 mi · Venedy 6 mi · Damiansville 6 mi · Germantown 8 mi · Albers 8 mi · Bartelso 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 Okawville (38.4344, -89.548); 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.