community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Burbank, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 92% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (96th percentile) and lowest in fall (below the 1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Burbank?
- First forage: May 1 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Burbank, 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 4.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 6,302 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 7,437 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 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 Burbank
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi E; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.48 mi S.
How Burbank ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 20th | 98th | 15th |
| South Dakota | 92nd | 15th | 96th | below the 1st |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 82nd | 49th | 78th | 23rd |
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 Burbank: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Vermillion 5 mi · Elk Point 9 mi · Richland 9 mi · Meckling 14 mi · Jefferson 17 mi · Gayville 20 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 Burbank (42.7461, -96.8327); 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.