community in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Twin Lakes, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 10% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (66th percentile) and lowest in summer (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 3.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Twin 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))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Twin 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.5 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Twin Lakes
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Open water; North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi N; open water 0.04 mi N.
How Twin Lakes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 34th | 56th | 50th | 41st |
| Minnesota | 10th | 66th | 9th | 21st |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 19th | 27th | 16th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 71% 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 Twin Lakes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Naytahwaush 4 mi · West Roy Lake 7 mi · Elbow Lake 7 mi · The Ranch 7 mi · Roy Lake 9 mi · Midway 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 Twin Lakes (47.219, -95.6488); 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.