city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Sugar Creek, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (72nd percentile) and lowest in fall (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.9 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sugar Creek?
- First forage: Feb 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Mar 16 to Jul 31, peaking late Apr (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sugar Creek, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 727 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 200 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NW, blooms late Jun – 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 Sugar Creek
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Soybeans; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.11 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.22 mi N.
How Sugar Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 87th | 76th | 45th |
| Missouri | 45th | 72nd | 49th | 44th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 4th | 99th | 2nd | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Sugar Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
River Bend 3 mi · Birmingham 3 mi · Randolph 5 mi · Independence 5 mi · Blue Summit 5 mi · Claycomo 6 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 Sugar Creek (39.1395, -94.4085); 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.