city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Herculaneum, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 37% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Herculaneum?
- First forage: Feb 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Herculaneum, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans; 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; amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 882 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,192 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi E, blooms early Jun – early 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 Herculaneum
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 58% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Herculaneum ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 91st | 64th | 53rd |
| Missouri | 37th | 80th | 39th | 63rd |
| Ozark Highlands | 72nd | 60th | 86th | 43rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 39% 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 Herculaneum: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pevely 2 mi · Horine 2 mi · Crystal City 3 mi · Festus 3 mi · Barnhart 5 mi · Imperial 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 Herculaneum (38.2576, -90.3931); 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.