city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in East Gull Lake, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (57th percentile) and lowest in summer (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 3.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.8 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in East Gull Lake?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of East Gull 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi SE, 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 East Gull Lake
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.05 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.06 mi S.
How East Gull Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 29th | 49th | 50th | 60th |
| Minnesota | 10th | 57th | 9th | 38th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 17th | 17th | 16th | 82nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 East Gull Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Baxter 6 mi · Pillager 7 mi · Lake Shore 7 mi · Nisswa 8 mi · Brainerd 8 mi · Merrifield 10 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 East Gull Lake (46.397, -94.3638); 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.