city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Lake Benton, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (82nd percentile) and lowest in summer (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Benton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Benton, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
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 460 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 386 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi W, blooms late Jul – late 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 Lake Benton
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi N.
How Lake Benton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 51st | 87th | 91st |
| Minnesota | 58th | 59th | 55th | 82nd |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 8th | 89th | 7th | 40th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Lake Benton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tyler 8 mi · Arco 10 mi · Ruthton 11 mi · Florence 12 mi · Holland 13 mi · Ivanhoe 14 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 Lake Benton (44.2622, -96.2993); 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.