city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Swanville, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in fall (66th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Swanville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Swanville, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, 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
- Corn: about 122 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 17 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 13 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 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 Swanville
Mostly: Northern & Central Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.23 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.4 mi E.
How Swanville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 71st | 56th | 79th | 77th |
| Minnesota | 37th | 65th | 44th | 66th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 34th | 61st | 40th | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 62% 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 Swanville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Burtrum 4 mi · Flensburg 6 mi · Sobieski 8 mi · Upsala 8 mi · Grey Eagle 8 mi · Elmdale 9 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 Swanville (45.9162, -94.6388); 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.