community in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Indian Lake, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Indian Lake?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 30, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jul 16 to Aug 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Indian Lake, 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi S, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi SW, 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 Indian Lake
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.02 mi W; open water 0.04 mi W.
How Indian Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 81st | 51st | 61st |
| Missouri | 17th | 55th | 23rd | 88th |
| Ozark Highlands | 37th | 27th | 58th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 74% 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 Indian Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cuba 4 mi · Leasburg 9 mi · Steelville 11 mi · St. James 11 mi · Bourbon 12 mi · St. Cloud 14 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 Indian Lake (38.1026, -91.4534); 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.