community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Ora, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 18% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ora?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ora, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), mint, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; 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
- Corn: about 4,148 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 360 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Ora
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi N.
How Ora ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 52nd | 88th | 47th |
| Indiana | 18th | 52nd | 31st | 86th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 37th | 42nd | 51st | 31st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Ora: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hartz Lake 3 mi · Bass Lake 4 mi · Monterey 4 mi · Culver 7 mi · Lake Bruce 9 mi · Knox 9 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 Ora (41.1766, -86.5552); 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.