city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Arlington, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 88% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in fall (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Arlington?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Arlington, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 1,374 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,956 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (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 Arlington
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.25 mi S; open water 0.25 mi S.
How Arlington ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 52nd | 93rd | 84th |
| South Dakota | 88th | 92nd | 77th | 48th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 56th | 90th | 40th | 29th |
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 Arlington: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hetland 5 mi · Spring Lake Colony 9 mi · Badger 9 mi · Sinai 9 mi · Volga 11 mi · Lake Preston 12 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 Arlington (44.3635, -97.1338); 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.