community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Murdock, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 34% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in fall (69th percentile) and lowest in summer (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Murdock?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Murdock, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, native wildflowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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
- Soybeans: about 81 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms early Jun – late 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 Murdock
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Winter Wheat; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi SW.
How Murdock ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 49th | 54th | 65th | 65th |
| Kansas | 34th | 57th | 24th | 69th |
| Central Great Plains | 46th | 58th | 50th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 60% 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 Murdock: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cheney 8 mi · Kingman 10 mi · Norwich 12 mi · Pretty Prairie 13 mi · Garden Plain 14 mi · Milton 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 Murdock (37.6111, -97.9317); 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.