community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Woodruff, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (14th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here).
When is the honey flow in Woodruff?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Woodruff, 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 25.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 2,025 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 236 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 67 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 5 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 Woodruff
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi E.
How Woodruff ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 34th | 87th | 50th |
| Kansas | 65th | 14th | 79th | 48th |
| Central Great Plains | 77th | 20th | 80th | 49th |
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 Woodruff: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Long Island 6 mi · Stuttgart 13 mi · Prairie View 13 mi · Almena 16 mi · Phillipsburg 17 mi · Speed 22 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 Woodruff (39.9876, -99.4316); 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.