community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Lincoln, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in summer (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lincoln?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lincoln, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 8,650 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 8,010 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 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 Lincoln
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi W.
How Lincoln ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 33rd | 97th | 15th |
| Indiana | 83rd | 31st | 78th | 36th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 69th | 34th | 68th | 40th |
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 Lincoln: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Galveston 3 mi · Walton 4 mi · Grissom AFB 4 mi · Miami 5 mi · Onward 5 mi · Bennetts Switch 6 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 Lincoln (40.6164, -86.2103); 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.