city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Benkelman, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (36th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Benkelman?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Apr (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Benkelman, 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 Apr 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 26 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 20 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 106 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 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 Benkelman
Mostly: Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.29 mi SW.
How Benkelman ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 67th | 67th | 62nd |
| Nebraska | 52nd | 99th | 36th | 41st |
| High Plains | 83rd | 91st | 55th | 54th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 58% 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 Benkelman: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Max 9 mi · Parks 10 mi · Stratton 18 mi · Haigler 21 mi · Wauneta 27 mi · Enders 28 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 Benkelman (40.0468, -101.5402); 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.