city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Clay Center, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in fall (24th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Clay Center?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Clay Center, 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 29.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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
- Corn: about 12,355 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Jul (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 140 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jun – late 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 Clay Center
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.16 mi NW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi W.
How Clay Center ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 91st | 52nd | 93rd | 37th |
| Nebraska | 86th | 95th | 77th | 24th |
| Central Great Plains | 96th | 55th | 91st | 35th |
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 Clay Center: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Harvard 7 mi · Fairfield 7 mi · Saronville 8 mi · Inland 10 mi · Glenvil 11 mi · Edgar 12 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 Clay Center (40.5255, -98.055); 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.