community in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Spanish Lake, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Spanish Lake?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 15, peaking late Apr (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Spanish 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, soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; 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 1,035 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi E, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 162 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Spanish Lake
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Open water; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.23 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 84% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Spanish Lake ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 96th | 75th | 59th |
| Missouri | 65th | 95th | 48th | 83rd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 40th | 99th | 16th | 99th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Spanish Lake: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Glasgow Village 2 mi · Bellefontaine Neighbors 3 mi · Riverview 3 mi · Black Jack 3 mi · Castle Point 3 mi · Moline Acres 4 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 Spanish Lake (38.7885, -90.2078); 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.