village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Melbeta, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: dry beans (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Melbeta?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, dry Beans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Melbeta, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, dry Beans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): dry Beans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dry Beans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Dry beans: about 178 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 335 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 458 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms late 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 Melbeta
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.19 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.24 mi SW.
How Melbeta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 42nd | 87th | 71st |
| Nebraska | 65th | 79th | 63rd | 49th |
| High Plains | 95th | 38th | 94th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Melbeta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Minatare 2 mi · McGrew 6 mi · Gering 8 mi · Terrytown 9 mi · Scottsbluff 10 mi · Bayard 10 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 Melbeta (41.7814, -103.5176); 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.