city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Laurel, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 98% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (29th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Laurel?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Laurel, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 13,706 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,000 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Laurel
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.52 mi NE.
How Laurel ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 96th | 50th | 96th | 45th |
| Nebraska | 98th | 93rd | 88th | 29th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 92nd | 83rd | 53rd | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Laurel: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dixon 5 mi · Belden 6 mi · Concord 6 mi · Coleridge 8 mi · Carroll 12 mi · Sholes 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 Laurel (42.4286, -97.0964); 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.