village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Royal Lakes, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Royal Lakes?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Royal Lakes, 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 20.
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
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 8,652 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 11,781 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, 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 Royal Lakes
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Royal Lakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 97th | 54th | 96th | 21st |
| Illinois | 80th | 67th | 59th | 52nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 90th | 43rd | 79th | 42nd |
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 Royal Lakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dorchester 4 mi · Shipman 5 mi · Bunker Hill 5 mi · Wilsonville 6 mi · Mount Clare 7 mi · Gillespie 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 Royal Lakes (39.1133, -89.9585); 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.