city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pelican Rapids?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pelican Rapids, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, 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
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, 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
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 2,064 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,348 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 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 Pelican Rapids
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.05 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi W.
How Pelican Rapids ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 57th | 87th | 96th |
| Minnesota | 65th | 66th | 56th | 88th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 90th | 63rd | 75th | 95th |
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 Pelican Rapids: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Erhard 6 mi · Rothsay 12 mi · Elizabeth 13 mi · Vergas 15 mi · Barnesville 17 mi · Dent 17 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 Pelican Rapids (46.5703, -96.0859); 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.