community in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Willow Branch, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in summer (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 1.9 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Willow Branch?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Willow Branch, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 12,482 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10,224 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 37 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi NE, blooms late May – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (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 Willow Branch
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.3 mi W.
How Willow Branch ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 30th | 99th | 10th |
| Indiana | 97th | 28th | 92nd | 21st |
| Eastern Corn Belt Plains | 90th | 31st | 85th | 21st |
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 Willow Branch: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Warrington 3 mi · Wilkinson 4 mi · Maxwell 5 mi · Eden 5 mi · Shirley 6 mi · Charlottesville 7 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 Willow Branch (39.8768, -85.6849); 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.