city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Lakeville, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.4 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lakeville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Sep 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 Lakeville, 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 14.
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); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September 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
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 243 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 76 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi SE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 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 Lakeville
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi SE; open water 0.19 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 74% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Lakeville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 72nd | 83rd | 86th |
| Minnesota | 57th | 88th | 47th | 77th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 79th | 88th | 50th | 78th |
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 Lakeville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Farmington 4 mi · Credit River 5 mi · Apple Valley 5 mi · Burnsville 6 mi · Empire 8 mi · Savage 8 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 Lakeville (44.6761, -93.2517); 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.