city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Ottawa, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ottawa?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ottawa, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; 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 513 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, 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 Ottawa
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ottawa ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 94th | 86th | 51st |
| Kansas | 92nd | 97th | 75th | 50th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 75th | 84th | 47th | 76th |
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 Ottawa: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Princeton 8 mi · Rantoul 9 mi · Centropolis 10 mi · Pomona 10 mi · Wellsville 13 mi · Baldwin City 13 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 Ottawa (38.5982, -95.2628); 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.