community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Ontario, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ontario?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ontario, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 1,552 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 152 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 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 Ontario
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi NW.
How Ontario ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 65th | 87th | 61st |
| Indiana | 25th | 64th | 29th | 95th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 50th | 68th | 46th | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Ontario: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Howe 3 mi · Lagrange 4 mi · Mongo 6 mi · Scott 9 mi · Wall Lake 10 mi · Shipshewana 10 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 Ontario (41.6992, -85.3847); 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.