community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Ionia, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in spring (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ionia?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ionia, 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 24.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion; 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 850 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 157 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi E, blooms late Jun – late 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 Ionia
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.04 mi W.
How Ionia ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 34th | 91st | 29th |
| Kansas | 77th | 13th | 89th | 24th |
| Central Great Plains | 87th | 19th | 88th | 30th |
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 Ionia: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Jewell 10 mi · Mankato 11 mi · Glen Elder 11 mi · Cawker City 12 mi · Esbon 12 mi · Burr Oak 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 Ionia (39.6626, -98.344); 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.