village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Shelby, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 95% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in summer (89th percentile) and lowest in fall (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shelby?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shelby, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 18,758 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 1,200 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – late 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 Shelby
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.21 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.33 mi SW.
How Shelby ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 38th | 96th | 21st |
| Nebraska | 95th | 59th | 89th | 15th |
| Central Great Plains | 99th | 26th | 97th | 23rd |
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 Shelby: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Osceola 7 mi · Rising City 7 mi · Surprise 9 mi · Stromsburg 10 mi · Gresham 12 mi · Garrison 14 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 Shelby (41.1942, -97.4263); 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.