village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Elba, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (87th percentile) and lowest in fall (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SW); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elba?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elba, 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 May 2.
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), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 1,841 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 277 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, 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 Elba
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi S.
How Elba ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 45th | 87th | 60th |
| Nebraska | 66th | 87th | 65th | 39th |
| Central Great Plains | 81st | 42nd | 80th | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 37% 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 Elba: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Farwell 6 mi · Cotesfield 6 mi · St. Paul 8 mi · Cushing 10 mi · Dannebrog 12 mi · Ashton 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 Elba (41.2853, -98.5693); 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.