village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Sumner, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (93rd percentile) and lowest in fall (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sumner?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sumner, 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 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion; 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 1,538 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 158 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, 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 Sumner
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi S.
How Sumner ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 50th | 83rd | 69th |
| Nebraska | 62nd | 93rd | 58th | 48th |
| Central Great Plains | 77th | 52nd | 75th | 78th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Sumner: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Miller 6 mi · Eddyville 7 mi · Overton 14 mi · Amherst 15 mi · Lexington 17 mi · Elm Creek 17 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 Sumner (40.949, -99.5081); 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.