community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Fort Dodge, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Fort Dodge?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Fort Dodge, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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
- Sorghum: about 1,329 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 103 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Fort Dodge
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Winter Wheat; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi S.
How Fort Dodge ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 75th | 66th | 55th |
| Kansas | 56th | 86th | 26th | 55th |
| Central Great Plains | 71st | 87th | 51st | 56th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Fort Dodge: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wilroads Gardens 1 mi · Wright 4 mi · Dodge City 5 mi · Ford 12 mi · Spearville 13 mi · Ensign 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 Fort Dodge (37.7304, -99.937); 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.