city in Missouri
Honey bee forage in Waco, Missouri
Estimated forage here is better than about 87% of sites in Missouri. Against other Missouri sites it stands out most in spring (88th percentile) and lowest in fall (2nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Waco?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Waco, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
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 166 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 982 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi W, blooms early Jun – early 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 Waco
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.32 mi SE.
How Waco ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 94th | 88th | 6th |
| Missouri | 87th | 88th | 68th | 2nd |
| Central Irregular Plains | 86th | 85th | 59th | 4th |
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 Waco: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Asbury 2 mi · Carl Junction 7 mi · Oronogo 8 mi · Neck City 9 mi · Airport Drive 9 mi · Purcell 9 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 Waco (37.247, -94.6003); 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.