city in Kansas
Honey bee forage in Zurich, Kansas
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Kansas. Against other Kansas sites it stands out most in summer (62nd percentile) and lowest in spring (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Zurich?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Zurich, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 96 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 115 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 123 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 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 Zurich
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Sorghum; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.16 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi SE.
How Zurich ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 43rd | 79th | 54th |
| Kansas | 51st | 29th | 62nd | 53rd |
| Central Great Plains | 65th | 36th | 70th | 54th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Zurich: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Palco 7 mi · Plainville 7 mi · Damar 10 mi · Nicodemus 14 mi · Codell 14 mi · Stockton 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 Zurich (39.2323, -99.4347); 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.