community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Ada, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ada?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ada, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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 595 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 382 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 71 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 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 Ada
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi NW.
How Ada ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 30th | 90th | 34th |
| Kansas | 73rd | 9th | 87th | 29th |
| Central Great Plains | 84th | 16th | 86th | 34th |
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 Ada: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barnard 9 mi · Delphos 10 mi · Minneapolis 10 mi · Tescott 10 mi · Beverly 11 mi · Glasco 14 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 Ada (39.1622, -97.8859); 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.