town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Batesland, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 79% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (13th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); peas (nearest 0.5 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Batesland?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (sunflower)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Batesland, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, peas; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Sunflower: about 365 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 608 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early 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 Batesland
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.23 mi W.
How Batesland ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 92nd | 36th | 94th | 59th |
| South Dakota | 79th | 60th | 82nd | 13th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 98th | 81st | 98th | 2nd |
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 Batesland: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Wounded Knee 13 mi · Allen 14 mi · Porcupine 15 mi · Martin 19 mi · Kyle 21 mi · Manderson-White Horse Creek 21 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 Batesland (43.1271, -102.1019); 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.