Arcadia Bees
Nucs Queens About Nuc guide Forage Contact Join waitlist

South Dakota

Honey bee forage and the honey flow in South Dakota

Across 485 towns in South Dakota, the main honey flow typically runs from about Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking around Jul 23. First forage worth flying for comes around Apr 1, and the season ends around Sep 30. Few towns show a dearth in a typical year.

What makes the honey in South Dakota

Most common honey plants across the state's towns: soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa.

Most common bee crops within flight range of towns: corn, soybeans, alfalfa, sunflower, sorghum, millet.

How the state's towns rank: the median town sits at the 89th percentile of random land across the US.

State-wide figures are medians over the towns below, each scored at its Census center point. Your own spot can differ a lot; check it.

The national forage map over South Dakota: darker is more forage for honey bees. Tap anywhere for that spot's report, or open the national map.

Best and lowest of the state's sample

Of 3,000 random land points in South Dakota: the best is near Agar, SD (100th percentile in the US); the lowest is near Keystone, SD. All notable spots.

Every town in South Dakota

485 cities, towns, villages, boroughs and census-designated communities, each with its honey flow dates, honey plants, bee crops and ranking.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y

    A

    • Aberdeen city · flow May 1 to Aug 31
    • Agar town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Agency Village community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Akaska town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Albee town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Alcester city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Alexandria city · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Allen community · flow May 1 to Aug 31
    • Alpena town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Altamont town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Anderson community · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Andover town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Angostura community · flow Apr 1 to Sep 15
    • Antelope community · flow May 1 to Sep 15
    • Ardmore community · flow Apr 16 to Sep 30
    • Arlington city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Armour city · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Artas town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Artesian town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Ashland Heights community · flow Apr 16 to Sep 15
    • Ashton city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Astoria town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Aurora town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Aurora Center community · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Avon city · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31

    B

    C

    D

    • Dakota Dunes community · flow Apr 16 to Aug 15
    • Dallas town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Dante town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Davis town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 15
    • De Smet city · flow May 1 to Aug 31
    • Deadwood city · flow May 16 to Sep 15
    • Deerfield Colony community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Dell Rapids city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Delmont city · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Dimock town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Doland city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Dolton town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Draper town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Dudley community · flow Apr 1 to Aug 31
    • Dupree city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31

    E

    F

    G

    H

    I

    • Ideal community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Interior town · flow Apr 1 to Sep 15
    • Ipswich city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Irene city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Iroquois city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Isabel town · flow Apr 16 to Sep 15

    J

    K

    • Kadoka city · flow Apr 16 to Sep 15
    • Kaylor community · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Kenel community · flow May 1 to Aug 31
    • Kennebec town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Keystone town · flow May 16 to Aug 15
    • Kidder community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Kimball city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Kranzburg town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Kyle community · flow Apr 16 to Aug 31

    L

    M

    N

    O

    • Oacoma town · flow Apr 1 to Sep 30
    • Oahe Acres community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Oak Lane Colony community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Oelrichs town · flow May 1 to Aug 31
    • Oglala community · flow Apr 1 to Sep 30
    • Okaton community · flow Apr 16 to Sep 30
    • Okreek community · flow Apr 1 to Sep 15
    • Ola community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Old Elm Spring Colony community · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Oldham city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Olivet town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 15
    • Onaka town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Onida city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Oral community · flow Jun 16 to Sep 15
    • Orient town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Orland Colony community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Ortley town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31

    P

    Q

    • Quinn town · flow Apr 16 to Aug 31

    R

    S

    T

    U

    V

    • Vale community · flow Jun 16 to Sep 15
    • Valley Springs city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Veblen city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Verdon town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Vermillion city · flow Jun 16 to Aug 15
    • Viborg city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Vienna town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Vilas town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31
    • Virgil town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Vivian community · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Volga city · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Volin town · flow Jun 16 to Aug 31

    W

    Y

    • Yale town · flow Jul 1 to Aug 31
    • Yankton city · flow Apr 16 to Aug 31

    Estimates from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources · Other states.