community in North Dakota
Honey bee forage in Ypsilanti, North Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in North Dakota. Against other North Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ypsilanti?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 Ypsilanti, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 4,869 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Ypsilanti
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.43 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.43 mi W.
How Ypsilanti ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 44th | 93rd | 99th |
| North Dakota | 71st | 92nd | 59th | 79th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 68th | 83rd | 39th | 80th |
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 Ypsilanti: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Montpelier 6 mi · Jamestown 11 mi · Spiritwood 11 mi · Marion 16 mi · Dickey 18 mi · Sanborn 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 Ypsilanti (46.7834, -98.561); 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.