city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Parsons, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 78% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Parsons?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Parsons, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 78 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 116 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 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 Parsons
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.31 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 89% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Parsons ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 95th | 74th | 44th |
| Kansas | 78th | 98th | 48th | 41st |
| Central Irregular Plains | 30th | 88th | 17th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% 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 Parsons: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
South Mound 7 mi · Dennis 8 mi · Labette 8 mi · Altamont 10 mi · Galesburg 11 mi · Mound Valley 12 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 Parsons (37.334, -95.265); 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.