city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Dodge City, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dodge City?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dodge City, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light 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
- Sorghum: about 253 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 300 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 40 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Dodge City
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.42 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.55 mi W.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 96% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Dodge City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 78th | 89th | 69th | 61st |
| Kansas | 68th | 94th | 34th | 63rd |
| High Plains | 95th | 100th | 59th | 52nd |
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 Dodge City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fort Dodge 5 mi · Wilroads Gardens 6 mi · Wright 7 mi · Ensign 14 mi · Spearville 16 mi · Ford 17 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 Dodge City (37.7607, -100.0179); 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.