community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Depauw, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Depauw?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Depauw, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 57 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Popcorn and ornamental corn: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, 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 Depauw
Mostly: Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.34 mi SW.
How Depauw ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 89th | 66th | 42nd |
| Indiana | 10th | 90th | 9th | 80th |
| Interior Plateau | 54th | 48th | 64th | 78th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Depauw: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Milltown 3 mi · Ramsey 4 mi · New Salisbury 7 mi · Marengo 7 mi · Fredericksburg 7 mi · Palmyra 8 mi
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 Depauw (38.3327, -86.2216); 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.