community in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Zeandale, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 90% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Zeandale?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Zeandale, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 1,829 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,089 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Zeandale
Mostly: Central Tallgrass Prairie; Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.07 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi NW.
How Zeandale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 36th | 94th | 40th |
| Kansas | 90th | 15th | 95th | 36th |
| Flint Hills | 95th | 3rd | 97th | 3rd |
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 Zeandale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. George 2 mi · Wabaunsee 5 mi · Wamego 7 mi · Louisville 9 mi · Manhattan 10 mi · McFarland 13 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 Zeandale (39.1628, -96.4279); 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.