city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in El Dorado, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in El Dorado?
- 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, soybeans)
- 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 El Dorado, 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, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 118 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 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 El Dorado
Mostly: Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.43 mi N; open water 0.44 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 85% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How El Dorado ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 92nd | 72nd | 67th |
| Kansas | 73rd | 96th | 42nd | 73rd |
| Flint Hills | 78th | 99th | 50th | 18th |
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 El Dorado: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Towanda 7 mi · Leon 10 mi · Augusta 10 mi · Potwin 12 mi · Rosalia 13 mi · Benton 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 El Dorado (37.8204, -96.863); 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.