community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Shipshewana Lake, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shipshewana Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shipshewana Lake, 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), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion, soybeans; 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 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 97 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms early Jul – 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 Shipshewana Lake
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Shipshewana Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 61st | 82nd | 60th |
| Indiana | 10th | 60th | 21st | 95th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 18th | 60th | 30th | 54th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 52% 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 Shipshewana Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shipshewana 2 mi · Scott 5 mi · Middlebury 5 mi · Vistula 7 mi · Howe 10 mi · Lagrange 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 Shipshewana Lake (41.6836, -85.6097); 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.