community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Lake Santee, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 34% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Santee?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Santee, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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 5,511 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,715 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 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 Lake Santee
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.12 mi W; open water 0.12 mi W.
How Lake Santee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 88th | 84th | 33rd |
| Indiana | 34th | 88th | 23rd | 68th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 14th | 92nd | 12th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Lake Santee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Clarksburg 3 mi · Hamburg 4 mi · Lake View 6 mi · Andersonville 6 mi · Peppertown 7 mi · New Point 7 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 Lake Santee (39.4103, -85.3077); 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.