city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Wilson, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sorghum (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wilson?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wilson, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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), soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 173 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Wilson
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi W.
How Wilson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 67th | 73rd | 51st |
| Kansas | 56th | 80th | 46th | 49th |
| Central Great Plains | 71st | 79th | 62nd | 50th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Wilson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dorrance 6 mi · Bunker Hill 13 mi · Sylvan Grove 14 mi · Ellsworth 15 mi · Beaver 16 mi · Lucas 16 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 Wilson (38.8253, -98.4749); 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.