village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Culbertson, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Culbertson?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Culbertson, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 1,786 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 54 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 1 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 Culbertson
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi N.
How Culbertson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 63rd | 76th | 63rd |
| Nebraska | 57th | 98th | 47th | 43rd |
| Central Great Plains | 72nd | 75th | 65th | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 45% 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 Culbertson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Trenton 10 mi · McCook 12 mi · Palisade 17 mi · Stratton 21 mi · Hayes Center 22 mi · Indianola 22 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 Culbertson (40.2242, -100.8396); 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.