city in Minnesota

Honey bee forage in Eagle Lake, Minnesota

Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in summer (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Eagle Lake?

  • First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
  • Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
  • Season ends: Sep 30
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eagle Lake, 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 13.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
  • Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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 1,142 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 2,371 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Eagle Lake

Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Open water.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi E.

How Eagle Lake ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US91st55th91st70th
Minnesota79th63rd70th55th
North Central Hardwood Forests98th58th93rd36th

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 Eagle Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Madison Lake 4 mi · Mankato 5 mi · St. Clair 6 mi · Skyline 8 mi · North Mankato 8 mi · Janesville 9 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 Eagle Lake (44.1635, -93.882); 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.