community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Bijou Hills, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 58% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (91st percentile) and lowest in fall (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (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); sorghum (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bijou Hills?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bijou Hills, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra 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
- Soybeans: about 128 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 84 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 Bijou Hills
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi W.
How Bijou Hills ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 81st | 50th | 87th | 62nd |
| South Dakota | 58th | 91st | 57th | 15th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 72nd | 94th | 70th | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 42% 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 Bijou Hills: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Platte Colony 4 mi · Ola 6 mi · Grass Ranch Colony 15 mi · Cedar Grove Colony 17 mi · Pukwana 17 mi · Kimball 18 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 Bijou Hills (43.5285, -99.1439); 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.