community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Wabaunsee, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wabaunsee?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wabaunsee, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Corn: about 1,672 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 187 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Wabaunsee
Mostly: Central Tallgrass Prairie; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi SE.
How Wabaunsee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 69th | 87th | 55th |
| Kansas | 82nd | 82nd | 80th | 55th |
| Flint Hills | 89th | 78th | 85th | 8th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Wabaunsee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wamego 5 mi · Zeandale 5 mi · St. George 5 mi · Louisville 7 mi · McFarland 8 mi · Alma 9 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 Wabaunsee (39.1436, -96.3423); 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.