community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Angostura, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.7 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); buckwheat (nearest 0.9 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Angostura?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Sep 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Angostura, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, alfalfa; 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
- Alfalfa: about 21 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi E, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Buckwheat: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Oct (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 19 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.5 mi E, blooms late Jul – early Sep (grown 1 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 Angostura
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Open water; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.28 mi NW; open water 0.31 mi SE.
How Angostura ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 43rd | 58th | 81st |
| South Dakota | 28th | 83rd | 27th | 39th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 59th | 94th | 52nd | 20th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 70% 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 Angostura: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Maverick Junction 6 mi · Hot Springs 8 mi · Oral 9 mi · Smithwick 9 mi · Oelrichs 12 mi · Buffalo Gap 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 Angostura (43.3189, -103.3907); 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.