community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Otisco, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 22% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Otisco?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (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 Otisco, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 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 Otisco
Mostly: South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest; Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.12 mi SE.
How Otisco ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 93rd | 75th | 25th |
| Indiana | 22nd | 96th | 14th | 57th |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 7th | 96th | 6th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Otisco: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Henryville 5 mi · New Washington 6 mi · Underwood 6 mi · Memphis 6 mi · Charlestown 8 mi · Sellersburg 11 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 Otisco (38.5426, -85.6658); 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.