city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Warsaw, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 18% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (12th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Warsaw?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Warsaw, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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, 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 1,051 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,242 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi W, 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 Warsaw
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi N; open water 0.2 mi SW.
How Warsaw ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 83rd | 82nd | 56th |
| Illinois | 18th | 94th | 12th | 91st |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 29th | 86th | 22nd | 97th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Warsaw: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hamilton 4 mi · Elvaston 10 mi · Basco 12 mi · Lima 12 mi · Nauvoo 14 mi · West Point 14 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 Warsaw (40.351, -91.428); 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.