village in Nebraska

Honey bee forage in Denton, Nebraska

Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (97th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).

When is the honey flow in Denton?

  • First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
  • Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
  • Season ends: Oct 31
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Denton, 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), soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; 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), dandelion; 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 83 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NW, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 145 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Denton

Mostly: Central Tallgrass Prairie; Corn; Soybeans.

Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi SE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi E.

How Denton ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US84th56th88th66th
Nebraska72nd97th66th45th
Western Corn Belt Plains9th87th9th88th

Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.

About 46% 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 Denton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Emerald 5 mi · Pleasant Dale 6 mi · Yankee Hill 6 mi · Martell 8 mi · Sprague 9 mi · Crete 10 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 Denton (40.7392, -96.846); 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.