city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Ulysses, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ulysses?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ulysses, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), lindens / basswood; 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), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 218 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 141 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi W, blooms late 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 Ulysses
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.65 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.92 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 65% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ulysses ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 66th | 77th | 64th | 67th |
| Kansas | 57th | 86th | 22nd | 73rd |
| High Plains | 87th | 97th | 46th | 62nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 40% 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 Ulysses: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Big Bow 11 mi · Moscow 19 mi · Johnson City 21 mi · Satanta 22 mi · Lakin 26 mi · Hugoton 28 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 Ulysses (37.5773, -101.3549); 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.