city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Eureka, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 48% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in summer (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Eureka?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Eureka, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs; 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; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 530 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 134 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 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 Eureka
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 77% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Eureka ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 93rd | 72nd | 54th |
| Missouri | 48th | 86th | 45th | 66th |
| Ozark Highlands | 86th | 70th | 94th | 48th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Eureka: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wildwood 6 mi · Lake Tekakwitha 6 mi · Byrnes Mill 6 mi · Pacific 6 mi · LaBarque Creek 6 mi · Peaceful Village 6 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 Eureka (38.4985, -90.6454); 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.