village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Stratton, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (39th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi S); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi S); sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Stratton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Stratton, 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 28.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Corn: about 411 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Jul (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 251 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SW, blooms early 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 Stratton
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.33 mi SW.
How Stratton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 61st | 62nd | 70th | 71st |
| Nebraska | 52nd | 98th | 39th | 48th |
| High Plains | 83rd | 86th | 61st | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Stratton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Max 10 mi · Trenton 11 mi · Palisade 15 mi · Hamlet 16 mi · Benkelman 18 mi · Wauneta 20 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 Stratton (40.1508, -101.2276); 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.