city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 20% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (70th percentile) and lowest in summer (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.7 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.5 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Detroit Lakes?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Detroit Lakes, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Soybeans: about 86 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 73 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Detroit Lakes
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Wet Meadow; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.16 mi NE; open water 0.18 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 64% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Detroit Lakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 51st | 68th | 80th |
| Minnesota | 20th | 59th | 29th | 70th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 11th | 51st | 16th | 64th |
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 Detroit Lakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Audubon 8 mi · Frazee 9 mi · Vergas 11 mi · Callaway 12 mi · Lake Park 13 mi · Dent 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 Detroit Lakes (46.8076, -95.8466); 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.