city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Drayton, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 36% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); canola (nearest 0.6 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Drayton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Drayton, 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 May 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), canola; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, canola, clovers: white, alsike and red, dry Beans; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, dry Beans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola; 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 272 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Canola: about 25 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Aug (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 Drayton
Mostly: Spring Wheat; Sugarbeets; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.18 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.19 mi E.
Things to watch
- Lots of crops with little or no bee value. About 43% of the land within 3 miles is in crops bees get little from (such as wheat and other grains).
How Drayton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 43rd | 87th | 97th |
| North Dakota | 36th | 90th | 32nd | 55th |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 18th | 86th | 14th | 42nd |
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 Drayton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Auburn 12 mi · St. Thomas 13 mi · Grafton 15 mi · Nash 17 mi · Minto 21 mi · Hamilton 21 mi
All towns in North Dakota · 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 Drayton (48.5621, -97.1795); 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.