community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Van Bibber Lake, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 16% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Van Bibber Lake?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Van Bibber 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 Apr 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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 2,020 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,242 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Van Bibber Lake
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0.02 mi E.
How Van Bibber Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 68th | 85th | 23rd |
| Indiana | 16th | 67th | 24th | 53rd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 20th | 64th | 26th | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 49% 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 Van Bibber Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bainbridge 7 mi · Greencastle 7 mi · Russellville 9 mi · Fillmore 10 mi · Roachdale 11 mi · Putnamville 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 Van Bibber Lake (39.7292, -86.9298); 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.