city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 29% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Pequot Lakes?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Pequot Lakes, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms early Jul – 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 Pequot Lakes
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Open water; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Pequot Lakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 68th | 69th | 62nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 83rd | 30th | 41st |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 63rd | 54th | 70th | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Pequot Lakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Breezy Point 4 mi · Jenkins 5 mi · Nisswa 6 mi · Lake Shore 7 mi · Merrifield 10 mi · Pine River 11 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 Pequot Lakes (46.5881, -94.288); 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.