city in Nebraska
Honey bee forage in Wood River, Nebraska
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in Nebraska. Against other Nebraska sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi S); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wood River?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking early Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wood River, 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 30.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 9,701 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 253 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SW, 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 Wood River
Mostly: Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.39 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.66 mi NW.
How Wood River ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 48th | 90th | 35th |
| Nebraska | 72nd | 91st | 69th | 23rd |
| Central Great Plains | 87th | 47th | 85th | 34th |
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 Wood River: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shelton 7 mi · Alda 8 mi · Prosser 9 mi · Doniphan 13 mi · Cairo 13 mi · Gibbon 14 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 Wood River (40.8198, -98.6044); 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.