community in Nebraska

Honey bee forage in Belmar, Nebraska

Estimated forage here is better than about 25% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in summer (2nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 2.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Belmar?

  • First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
  • Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 31, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
  • Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
  • Season ends: Oct 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Belmar, 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 4.

What the honey is made of

  • Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
  • Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, dandelion; 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 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
  • Sorghum: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – 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 Belmar

Mostly: Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Open water.

Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi NE.

How Belmar ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US39th52nd49th81st
Nebraska25th94th2nd61st
Nebraska Sand Hills68th97th6th11th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 70% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.

The national forage map around Belmar: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Lemoyne 7 mi · Lewellen 11 mi · Martin 12 mi · Brule 15 mi · Ogallala 16 mi · Big Springs 18 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 Belmar (41.3055, -101.9346); 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.