village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Sauget, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 6% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sauget?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sauget, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra 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 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 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 Sauget
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, high intensity (paved).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.38 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 77% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sauget ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 71st | 78th | 46th |
| Illinois | 6th | 85th | 9th | 84th |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 12th | 68th | 18th | 86th |
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 Sauget: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cahokia Heights 1 mi · East St. Louis 2 mi · Washington Park 4 mi · Brooklyn 5 mi · Fairmont City 5 mi · East Carondelet 6 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 Sauget (38.5859, -90.1531); 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.