village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Merriman, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 33% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (26th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.3 mi S); millet (nearest 1.6 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Merriman?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Sep 30, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 16 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Merriman, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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), native wildflowers, dandelion; 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
- Alfalfa: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Millet: about 18 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early 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 Merriman
Mostly: Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.32 mi S.
How Merriman ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 44th | 45th | 59th | 92nd |
| Nebraska | 33rd | 87th | 26th | 89th |
| Nebraska Sand Hills | 79th | 91st | 72nd | 72nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 Merriman: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cody 23 mi · Gordon 27 mi · Nenzel 30 mi · Clinton 35 mi · Kilgore 38 mi · Rushville 41 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 Merriman (42.923, -101.6997); 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.