village in Nebraska

Honey bee forage in Malcolm, Nebraska

Estimated forage here is better than about 76% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SE, 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 Malcolm?

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

Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Malcolm, 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
  • Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some 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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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 206 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
  • Corn: about 177 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (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 Malcolm

Mostly: Central Tallgrass Prairie; Corn; Soybeans.

Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi W.

How Malcolm ranks

Against random land inOverallSpringSummerFall
Continental US87th54th89th64th
Nebraska76th96th69th43rd
Western Corn Belt Plains15th86th12th87th

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

About 42% 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 Malcolm: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.

Nearby

Raymond 6 mi · Garland 7 mi · Emerald 7 mi · Agnew 8 mi · Pleasant Dale 9 mi · Davey 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 Malcolm (40.909, -96.8661); 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.