city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in WaKeeney, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in WaKeeney?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Aug 31 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of WaKeeney, 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 20.
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), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Sorghum: about 1,363 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 210 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi E, 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 WaKeeney
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Fallow / idle cropland; Sorghum.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.2 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How WaKeeney ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 69th | 76th | 69th | 62nd |
| Kansas | 60th | 86th | 35th | 65th |
| Central Great Plains | 74th | 87th | 56th | 66th |
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 WaKeeney: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ogallah 8 mi · Collyer 13 mi · Ellis 18 mi · Quinter 19 mi · Palco 23 mi · Hill City 24 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 WaKeeney (39.0234, -99.8815); 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.