village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Silver Creek, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 68% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Silver Creek?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Silver Creek, 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 1.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 1,501 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 105 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, 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 Silver Creek
Mostly: Western Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie; Corn; Western Great Plains Floodplain Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.26 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.31 mi S.
How Silver Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 62nd | 86th | 55th |
| Nebraska | 68th | 98th | 62nd | 35th |
| Central Great Plains | 84th | 74th | 79th | 55th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Silver Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Genoa 10 mi · Duncan 10 mi · Osceola 11 mi · Clarks 11 mi · Monroe 11 mi · Stromsburg 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 Silver Creek (41.3153, -97.6651); 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.