village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Washington Park, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 29% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (11th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Washington Park?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Washington Park, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 79 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 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 Washington Park
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi NE.
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 Washington Park ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 94th | 80th | 56th |
| Illinois | 29th | 99th | 11th | 92nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 42nd | 97th | 20th | 97th |
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 Washington Park: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fairmont City 1 mi · East St. Louis 2 mi · Caseyville 3 mi · Madison 4 mi · Sauget 4 mi · Brooklyn 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 Washington Park (38.6285, -90.0926); 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.