community in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Max, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 44% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (96th percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.9 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Max?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Max, 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 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, native wildflowers; 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); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, dandelion; 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 179 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 5 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 Max
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.49 mi SE.
How Max ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 52nd | 56th | 65th | 75th |
| Nebraska | 44th | 96th | 34th | 54th |
| High Plains | 71st | 76th | 49th | 73rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 65% 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 Max: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Benkelman 9 mi · Stratton 10 mi · Parks 18 mi · Hamlet 21 mi · Wauneta 21 mi · Trenton 21 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 Max (40.1143, -101.4045); 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.