city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Ogallala, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 57% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (44th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.0 mi S); alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); popcorn and ornamental corn (nearest 1.3 mi SW, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ogallala?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ogallala, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Corn: about 259 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early 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 Ogallala
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; open water 0.26 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 59% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Ogallala ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 64th | 74th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 57th | 98th | 44th | 50th |
| High Plains | 88th | 89th | 72nd | 67th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 36% 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 Ogallala: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Roscoe 7 mi · Martin 9 mi · Brule 9 mi · Keystone 9 mi · Lemoyne 11 mi · Belmar 16 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 Ogallala (41.1296, -101.7207); 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.