community in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Riley, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 35% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (75th percentile) and lowest in summer (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Riley?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Riley, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 601 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,322 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early 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 Riley
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi N.
How Riley ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 43rd | 92nd | 38th |
| Illinois | 35th | 55th | 38th | 75th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 27th | 77th | 24th | 76th |
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 Riley: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Coral 4 mi · Marengo 4 mi · Union 5 mi · Harmony 6 mi · Garden Prairie 6 mi · Genoa 8 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 Riley (42.1929, -88.6287); 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.