city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Dexter, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dexter?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dexter, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 78 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 69 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi N, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 4 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 Dexter
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.3 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.41 mi S.
How Dexter ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 80th | 79th | 80th |
| Kansas | 74th | 89th | 60th | 87th |
| Flint Hills | 79th | 93rd | 65th | 34th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 67% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Dexter: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Burden 10 mi · Cambridge 10 mi · Cedar Vale 13 mi · New Salem 13 mi · Silverdale 14 mi · Winfield 15 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 Dexter (37.1796, -96.716); 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.