community in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Offutt AFB, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (43rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Offutt AFB?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jun (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Offutt AFB, 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): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 1,039 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi SE, blooms early Jun – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 72 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 3 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 Offutt AFB
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Soybeans; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.18 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.56 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 75% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Offutt AFB ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 79th | 71st | 81st | 63rd |
| Nebraska | 66th | 99th | 56th | 43rd |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 4th | 96th | 3rd | 86th |
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 Offutt AFB: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bellevue 2 mi · La Platte 3 mi · Buccaneer Bay 5 mi · Richfield 8 mi · Plattsmouth 8 mi · Ralston 8 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 Offutt AFB (41.121, -95.9211); 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.