village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Crab Orchard, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (47th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Crab Orchard?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Crab Orchard, 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 119 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NW, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,146 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Crab Orchard
Mostly: Central Tallgrass Prairie; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi W.
How Crab Orchard ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 86th | 54th | 89th | 68th |
| Nebraska | 76th | 96th | 68th | 47th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 14th | 86th | 12th | 91st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 48% 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 Crab Orchard: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lewiston 6 mi · Filley 7 mi · Virginia 7 mi · Sterling 9 mi · Adams 10 mi · Tecumseh 13 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 Crab Orchard (40.3347, -96.4224); 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.