city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Aberdeen, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in summer (54th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Aberdeen?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: May 1 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Aberdeen, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, 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, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, soybeans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; extra 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
- Soybeans: about 152 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 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 Aberdeen
Mostly: Corn; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.11 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 87% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Aberdeen ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 85th | 66th | 86th | 92nd |
| South Dakota | 63rd | 99th | 54th | 79th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 10th | 98th | 5th | 43rd |
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 Aberdeen: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Prairiewood Village 4 mi · Bath Corner 7 mi · Bath 7 mi · Warner 10 mi · Westport 13 mi · Columbia 13 mi
All towns in South Dakota · 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 Aberdeen (45.4647, -98.4681); 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.