city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Kiowa, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.7 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Kiowa?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Kiowa, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, canola; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), cotton; amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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
- Canola: about 180 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms early May – late Jun (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 128 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 74 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 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 Kiowa
Mostly: Winter Wheat; Great Plains Comanchian Ruderal Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.3 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.7 mi S.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 47% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Kiowa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 76th | 72nd | 23rd |
| Kansas | 59th | 86th | 41st | 18th |
| Southwestern Tablelands | 98th | 94th | 97th | 7th |
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 Kiowa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hazelton 7 mi · Hardtner 9 mi · Sharon 16 mi · Waldron 17 mi · Medicine Lodge 19 mi · Attica 21 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 Kiowa (37.0174, -98.4848); 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.