city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Rushville, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in summer (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rushville?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rushville, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): sunflower, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, sunflower, dandelion; 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
- Sunflower: about 66 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 77 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Rushville
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Alfalfa; Fallow / idle cropland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.13 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi W.
How Rushville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 51st | 84th | 86th |
| Nebraska | 64th | 93rd | 59th | 68th |
| High Plains | 95th | 63rd | 91st | 87th |
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 Rushville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Clinton 7 mi · Hay Springs 12 mi · Gordon 15 mi · White Clay 20 mi · Chadron 28 mi · Whitney 40 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 Rushville (42.7134, -102.4666); 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.