city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Cottleville, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 46% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (73rd percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cottleville?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cottleville, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, 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 99 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 67 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Cottleville
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns).
Nearest mapped water: open water 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 69% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Cottleville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 88th | 76th | 56th |
| Missouri | 46th | 73rd | 49th | 71st |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 22nd | 91st | 17th | 96th |
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 Cottleville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Weldon Spring 3 mi · Dardenne Prairie 3 mi · St. Peters 4 mi · Weldon Spring Heights 4 mi · O'Fallon 4 mi · Lake St. Louis 7 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 Cottleville (38.7516, -90.6578); 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.