community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Bon Homme Colony, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 38% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (69th percentile) and lowest in fall (9th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bon Homme Colony?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bon Homme Colony, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Corn: about 3,121 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 272 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi NW, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 59 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 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 Bon Homme Colony
Mostly: Open water; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.11 mi S; open water 0.15 mi S.
How Bon Homme Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 47th | 38th | 75th | 51st |
| South Dakota | 38th | 69th | 44th | 9th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | below the 1st | 73rd | 1st | 5th |
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 Bon Homme Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tabor 6 mi · Springfield 10 mi · Tyndall 12 mi · Utica 13 mi · Lesterville 13 mi · Running Water 15 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 Bon Homme Colony (42.8647, -97.7052); 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.