city in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in Waterville, Minnesota
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Minnesota. Against other Minnesota sites it stands out most in spring (67th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Waterville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Waterville, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Soybeans: about 1,067 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,786 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early 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 Waterville
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.08 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi NE.
How Waterville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 57th | 86th | 66th |
| Minnesota | 54th | 67th | 54th | 49th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 72nd | 64th | 69th | 29th |
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 Waterville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elysian 5 mi · Morristown 6 mi · Kilkenny 6 mi · Janesville 10 mi · Warsaw 10 mi · Waseca 10 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 Waterville (44.2219, -93.5726); 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.