community in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Westerville, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 66% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in summer (68th percentile) and lowest in spring (38th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi NE); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Westerville?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Westerville, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- 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): alfalfa, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 1,417 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 609 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 118 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, 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 Westerville
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi NE.
How Westerville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 34th | 89th | 60th |
| Nebraska | 66th | 38th | 68th | 39th |
| Central Great Plains | 82nd | 19th | 83rd | 63rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% 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 Westerville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Berwyn 7 mi · Ansley 8 mi · Mason City 13 mi · Comstock 13 mi · Arcadia 13 mi · Broken Bow 13 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 Westerville (41.3962, -99.3818); 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.