city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Ludden, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 45% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ludden?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ludden, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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
- Corn: about 1,584 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,322 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Ludden
Mostly: Corn; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.45 mi W.
How Ludden ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 43rd | 90th | 92nd |
| North Dakota | 45th | 90th | 44th | 21st |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 17th | 80th | 16th | 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 Ludden: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Oakes 9 mi · Cogswell 18 mi · Fullerton 18 mi · Ellendale 19 mi · Forman 24 mi · Havana 25 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 Ludden (46.008, -98.1248); 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.