community in Minnesota
Honey bee forage in West Roy Lake, 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 (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.3 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in West Roy Lake?
- 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), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of West Roy Lake, 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 24.
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), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; 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 45 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – late Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 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 West Roy Lake
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.4 mi NW.
How West Roy Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 68th | 70th | 62nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 83rd | 31st | 41st |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 63rd | 53rd | 71st | 85th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 West Roy Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Roy Lake 3 mi · Naytahwaush 3 mi · The Ranch 5 mi · South End 6 mi · Rice Lake 6 mi · Twin Lakes 7 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 West Roy Lake (47.3115, -95.5954); 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.