city in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Rugby, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (51st). Biggest nearby bee crops: canola (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rugby?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (canola, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rugby, 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 23.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, canola, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, canola, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, canola, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Canola: about 53 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 375 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, 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 Rugby
Mostly: Soybeans; Spring Wheat; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 56% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Rugby ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 50th | 92nd | 98th |
| North Dakota | 61st | 94th | 51st | 58th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 44th | 89th | 26th | 64th |
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 Rugby: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Barton 13 mi · Knox 14 mi · Balta 14 mi · Wolford 16 mi · Towner 19 mi · York 19 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 Rugby (48.3654, -99.9902); 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.