city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Andover, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Andover?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Andover, 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 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Andover
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.27 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 82% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Andover ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 91st | 71st | 65th |
| Kansas | 71st | 95th | 38th | 70th |
| Central Great Plains | 83rd | 99th | 58th | 73rd |
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 Andover: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Eastborough 7 mi · Benton 7 mi · Greenwich 8 mi · McConnell AFB 8 mi · Rose Hill 8 mi · Bel Aire 9 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 Andover (37.6889, -97.1343); 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.