city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Rolla, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rolla?
- First forage: Feb 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rolla, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra 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
- Sorghum: about 639 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 109 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Rolla
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.48 mi E; open water 0.49 mi E.
How Rolla ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 70th | 70th | 44th |
| Kansas | 55th | 82nd | 38th | 40th |
| High Plains | 86th | 93rd | 62nd | 33rd |
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 Rolla: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Richfield 13 mi · Hugoton 16 mi · Elkhart 16 mi · Moscow 27 mi · Big Bow 31 mi · Manter 31 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 Rolla (37.1179, -101.6318); 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.