city in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Ligonier, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ligonier?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ligonier, 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 May 5.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 5,710 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,244 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Ligonier
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.14 mi N; open water 0.32 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 54% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ligonier ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 65th | 91st | 55th |
| Indiana | 52nd | 64th | 42nd | 92nd |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 88th | 68th | 69th | 45th |
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 Ligonier: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cromwell 4 mi · Kimmell 5 mi · Enchanted Hills 5 mi · Wawaka 6 mi · Topeka 6 mi · Millersburg 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 Ligonier (41.4619, -85.5959); 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.