village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Bushnell, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 50% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi E); millet (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bushnell?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bushnell, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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), alfalfa; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, 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
- Alfalfa: about 32 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jul – early Aug (grown 4 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 Bushnell
Mostly: Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi SE.
How Bushnell ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 49th | 71st | 91st |
| Nebraska | 50th | 92nd | 41st | 85th |
| High Plains | 81st | 59th | 65th | 93rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 73% 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 Bushnell: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Kimball 12 mi · Dix 21 mi · Harrisburg 24 mi · Potter 30 mi · Melbeta 43 mi · Gering 43 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 Bushnell (41.2327, -103.8911); 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.