village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Spencer, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (55th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.6 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Spencer?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Spencer, 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 7.
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): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 119 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 714 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 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 Spencer
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.4 mi E.
How Spencer ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 60th | 84th | 76th |
| Nebraska | 66th | 98th | 60th | 55th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 70th | 98th | 62nd | 38th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Spencer: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Bristow 6 mi · Butte 8 mi · Anoka 8 mi · Gross 8 mi · Lynch 12 mi · Monowi 19 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 Spencer (42.8756, -98.6999); 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.