village in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Rensselaer, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 80% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in summer (81st percentile) and lowest in spring (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.6 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rensselaer?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rensselaer, 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 21.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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 1,662 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 914 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, 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 Rensselaer
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Rensselaer ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 60th | 92nd | 29th |
| Missouri | 80th | 19th | 81st | 23rd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 62nd | 52nd | 57th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Rensselaer: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hannibal 8 mi · Palmyra 9 mi · New London 10 mi · Monroe City 10 mi · Center 11 mi · Saverton 15 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 Rensselaer (39.6698, -91.5404); 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.