city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Polo, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Polo?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Polo, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; 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 20,483 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2,088 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Polo
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.5 mi W.
How Polo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 55th | 92nd | 47th |
| Illinois | 42nd | 68th | 37th | 85th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 34th | 84th | 23rd | 81st |
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 Polo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mount Morris 9 mi · Forreston 10 mi · Milledgeville 10 mi · Grand Detour 10 mi · Dixon 11 mi · Adeline 12 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 Polo (41.9848, -89.5804); 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.