town in Indiana
Honey bee forage in Winona Lake, Indiana
Estimated forage here is better than about 16% of sites in Indiana. Against other Indiana sites it stands out most in fall (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (17th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Winona Lake?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Winona 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 1,717 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 850 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early 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 Winona Lake
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 62% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Winona Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 81st | 78th | 66th |
| Indiana | 16th | 80th | 17th | 97th |
| Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains | 33rd | 93rd | 21st | 66th |
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 Winona Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Warsaw 3 mi · Wooster 4 mi · Pierceton 6 mi · Claypool 7 mi · Barbee 7 mi · Oswego 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 Winona Lake (41.2171, -85.8131); 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.