city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Dover, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in summer (69th percentile) and lowest in spring (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Dover?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Dover, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; 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 5,304 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 123 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Dover
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.34 mi NE.
How Dover ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 47th | 91st | 76th |
| Minnesota | 76th | 55th | 69th | 64th |
| Driftless Area | 97th | 36th | 88th | 95th |
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 Dover: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Charles 4 mi · Eyota 5 mi · Chatfield 9 mi · Utica 9 mi · Elba 10 mi · Marion 11 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 Dover (43.9698, -92.134); 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.