community in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Imperial, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 29% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (71st percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.4 mi SE); corn (nearest 1.4 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Imperial?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late 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 Imperial, 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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 2,426 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SE, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,066 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 4 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 Imperial
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Open water; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.07 mi S; open water 0.16 mi NW.
How Imperial ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 87th | 62nd | 52nd |
| Missouri | 29th | 71st | 36th | 62nd |
| Ozark Highlands | 61st | 48th | 81st | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 47% 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 Imperial: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kimmswick 1 mi · Barnhart 2 mi · Pevely 5 mi · Arnold 5 mi · Horine 6 mi · Herculaneum 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 Imperial (38.3525, -90.3823); 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.