village in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Willisville, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); clover and wildflowers (nearest 0.8 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Willisville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Willisville, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 222 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 90 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Willisville
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi E; open water 0.32 mi NW.
How Willisville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 87th | 88th | 36th |
| Illinois | 45th | 96th | 20th | 72nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 60th | 89th | 36th | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Willisville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Percy 3 mi · Cutler 4 mi · Campbell Hill 4 mi · Steeleville 4 mi · Ava 8 mi · Rockwood 12 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 Willisville (37.9828, -89.5898); 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.