city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Lucas, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lucas?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lucas, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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), soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 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 Lucas
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) 0.33 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.35 mi W.
How Lucas ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 66th | 74th | 59th |
| Kansas | 58th | 80th | 49th | 61st |
| Central Great Plains | 72nd | 78th | 64th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Lucas: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Sylvan Grove 8 mi · Luray 9 mi · Hunter 14 mi · Waldo 15 mi · Dorrance 15 mi · Bunker Hill 15 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 Lucas (39.0587, -98.5377); 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.