city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Abilene, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (53rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Abilene?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Abilene, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 694 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 164 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 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 Abilene
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Abilene ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 83rd | 86th | 53rd |
| Kansas | 85th | 91st | 76th | 53rd |
| Central Great Plains | 92nd | 95th | 79th | 53rd |
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 Abilene: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Detroit 5 mi · Enterprise 6 mi · Talmage 7 mi · Solomon 8 mi · Navarre 11 mi · Chapman 12 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 Abilene (38.9245, -97.228); 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.