city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Chillicothe, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in fall (85th percentile) and lowest in summer (64th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi SE); corn (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chillicothe?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chillicothe, 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 Apr 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, black locust; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 305 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (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 Chillicothe
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.24 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.35 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 83% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Chillicothe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 88th | 86th | 60th |
| Missouri | 77th | 74th | 64th | 85th |
| Central Irregular Plains | 70th | 74th | 51st | 91st |
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 Chillicothe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Utica 5 mi · Wheeling 9 mi · Chula 10 mi · Dawn 10 mi · Mooresville 10 mi · Avalon 11 mi
All towns in Missouri · 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 Chillicothe (39.7948, -93.5474); 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.