village in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Venango, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.7 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.2 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Venango?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Venango, 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; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, sunflower; 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 12,996 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi SW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 50 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early 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 Venango
Mostly: Corn; Fallow / idle cropland; Winter Wheat.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.43 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.66 mi NE.
How Venango ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 62nd | 42nd | 82nd | 35th |
| Nebraska | 53rd | 79th | 56th | 23rd |
| High Plains | 84th | 38th | 88th | 27th |
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 Venango: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lamar 14 mi · Grant 18 mi · Big Springs 21 mi · Brule 24 mi · Champion 26 mi · Imperial 27 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 Venango (40.7637, -102.0442); 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.