town in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Universal, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Universal?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Universal, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; 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, 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
- Soybeans: about 204 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 110 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Universal
Mostly: North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest; Corn; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.2 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SW.
How Universal ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 86th | 81st | 43rd |
| Indiana | 26th | 86th | 20th | 82nd |
| Central Corn Belt Plains | 14th | 99th | 9th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Universal: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shepardsville 2 mi · Centenary 3 mi · New Goshen 3 mi · Libertyville 4 mi · Clinton 4 mi · Tecumseh 4 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 Universal (39.6225, -87.4553); 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.