city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Curtis, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 59% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Curtis?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Curtis, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, dandelion; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; extra 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 1,657 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 142 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 27 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi N, blooms late 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 Curtis
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.28 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.38 mi SE.
How Curtis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 62nd | 76th | 75th |
| Nebraska | 59th | 98th | 48th | 55th |
| Central Great Plains | 74th | 74th | 66th | 88th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 59% 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 Curtis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Maywood 6 mi · Moorefield 7 mi · Stockville 10 mi · Wellfleet 14 mi · Farnam 16 mi · Eustis 25 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 Curtis (40.6336, -100.5113); 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.