city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Noel, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (74th percentile) and lowest in summer (8th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.0 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 2.0 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Noel?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 1 to May 31, peaking early Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Noel, 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 2.
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; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), 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; amber
- 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
- Corn: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 8 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi NW, blooms late May – late Jul (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 Noel
Mostly: Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.08 mi N; open water 0.08 mi E.
How Noel ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 88th | 34th | 50th |
| Missouri | 17th | 74th | 8th | 56th |
| Ozark Highlands | 38th | 52nd | 19th | 33rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 79% 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 Noel: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ginger Blue 4 mi · Lanagan 5 mi · Pineville 6 mi · Southwest City 7 mi · Anderson 8 mi · Jane 10 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 Noel (36.5412, -94.4895); 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.