community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Shelby, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shelby?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shelby, 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 3.
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, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 9,579 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 2,497 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 87 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms early Jun – late 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 Shelby
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.38 mi W.
How Shelby ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 48th | 92nd | 40th |
| Indiana | 44th | 49th | 48th | 78th |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 28th | 79th | 23rd | 77th |
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 Shelby: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Thayer 2 mi · Roselawn 4 mi · Sumava Resorts 5 mi · Schneider 5 mi · Lake Village 7 mi · DeMotte 8 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 Shelby (41.1934, -87.3427); 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.