city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Irondale, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 20% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 2.2 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.8 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Irondale?
- First forage: Feb 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jun 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Irondale, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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, dandelion, garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi S, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi NW, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 1 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 Irondale
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.2 mi S; open water 0.22 mi S.
How Irondale ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 65th | 88th | 45th | 53rd |
| Missouri | 20th | 74th | 18th | 64th |
| Ozark Highlands | 45th | 53rd | 46th | 45th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 85% 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 Irondale: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Frankclay 4 mi · Wortham 4 mi · Leadwood 5 mi · Terre du Lac 5 mi · Bismarck 5 mi · Caledonia 8 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 Irondale (37.8374, -90.6701); 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.