community in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Defiance, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 56% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in summer (64th percentile) and lowest in spring (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Defiance?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Jul 31, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Defiance, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, likely to set over some months
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 1,406 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 985 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Defiance
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Open water; South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.06 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi SE.
How Defiance ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 69th | 86th | 37th |
| Missouri | 56th | 30th | 64th | 32nd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 29th | 66th | 30th | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Defiance: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Augusta 7 mi · Weldon Spring Heights 7 mi · Wildwood 7 mi · Dardenne Prairie 8 mi · New Melle 9 mi · Weldon Spring 9 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 Defiance (38.6328, -90.7846); 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.