city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Bena, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 13% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (65th percentile) and lowest in summer (13th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, 0.13 mi NE.
When is the honey flow in Bena?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bena, 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 May 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Bena
Mostly: Open water; Boreal-Laurentian Conifer Acidic Swamp and Treed Poor Fen; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.56 mi N.
How Bena ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 42nd | 56th | 58th | 57th |
| Minnesota | 13th | 65th | 13th | 35th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 25th | 26th | 27th | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 72% 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 Bena: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Federal Dam 7 mi · Ball Club 12 mi · Boy River 13 mi · Cass Lake 19 mi · Inger 19 mi · Deer River 19 mi
All towns in Minnesota · National map · How the scoring works
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 Bena (47.341, -94.2064); 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.