village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Madrid, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in summer (57th percentile) and lowest in fall (22nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.8 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Madrid?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Madrid, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, 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 11,453 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 46 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi S, 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 Madrid
Mostly: Corn; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.16 mi SW.
How Madrid ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 59th | 32nd | 83rd | 34th |
| Nebraska | 51st | 35th | 57th | 22nd |
| High Plains | 82nd | 13th | 90th | 26th |
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 Madrid: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Elsie 7 mi · Grant 10 mi · Wallace 19 mi · Roscoe 20 mi · Paxton 21 mi · Ogallala 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 Madrid (40.8524, -101.5279); 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.