city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Chadron, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi SW); millet (nearest 1.5 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chadron?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chadron, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 113 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Chadron
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.28 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.46 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 67% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Chadron ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 56th | 74th | 81st |
| Nebraska | 54th | 97th | 44th | 61st |
| High Plains | 85th | 77th | 72nd | 80th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 41% 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 Chadron: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Whitney 13 mi · Hay Springs 19 mi · Crawford 23 mi · White Clay 26 mi · Rushville 28 mi · Clinton 34 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 Chadron (42.826, -103.0025); 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.