community in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Ames, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in summer (72nd percentile) and lowest in fall (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ames?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ames, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 774 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 4,973 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Ames
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi NE.
How Ames ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 37th | 91st | 39th |
| Nebraska | 73rd | 51st | 72nd | 25th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 10th | 71st | 17th | 54th |
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 Ames: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cedar Bluffs 4 mi · Inglewood 7 mi · Fremont 7 mi · Morse Bluff 7 mi · North Bend 8 mi · Nickerson 10 mi
All towns in Nebraska · 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 Ames (41.4485, -96.6263); 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.