city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Shawnee, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.7 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shawnee?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 16 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 Shawnee, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 160 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 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 Shawnee
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi N.
How Shawnee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 89th | 60th | 55th |
| Kansas | 63rd | 94th | 15th | 56th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 3rd | 75th | 7th | 84th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Shawnee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lake Quivira 3 mi · Lenexa 4 mi · Edwardsville 4 mi · Bonner Springs 5 mi · Merriam 6 mi · Mission 8 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 Shawnee (39.0175, -94.8058); 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.