village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Volo, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 8% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in fall (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Volo?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Volo, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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, 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 95 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 602 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 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 Volo
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.18 mi NE.
How Volo ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 61st | 84th | 68th |
| Illinois | 8th | 75th | 13th | 96th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 27th | 80th | 24th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Volo: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lakemoor 2 mi · Round Lake 3 mi · Long Lake 3 mi · Wauconda 4 mi · Round Lake Park 4 mi · Island Lake 4 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 Volo (42.3303, -88.1587); 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.