community in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Penfield, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in summer (63rd percentile) and lowest in fall (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Penfield?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Penfield, 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 28.
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, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 11,455 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 11,711 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Penfield
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi S.
How Penfield ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 41st | 96th | 20th |
| Illinois | 70th | 52nd | 63rd | 51st |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 60th | 74th | 47th | 62nd |
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 Penfield: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Gifford 4 mi · Potomac 8 mi · Royal 8 mi · Rantoul 11 mi · Ludlow 11 mi · Rankin 11 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 Penfield (40.3047, -87.9443); 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.