city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Oshkosh, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi E); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S); millet (nearest 1.0 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oshkosh?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oshkosh, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 409 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 57 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, 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 Oshkosh
Mostly: Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Great Plains Floodplain Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.29 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi NE.
How Oshkosh ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 66th | 79th | 71st |
| Nebraska | 63rd | 99th | 52nd | 49th |
| High Plains | 94th | 91st | 85th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 44% 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 Oshkosh: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lewellen 12 mi · Lisco 16 mi · Belmar 22 mi · Chappell 23 mi · Lodgepole 24 mi · Big Springs 28 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 Oshkosh (41.408, -102.3452); 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.