city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Burke, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 55% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (99th percentile) and lowest in fall (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Burke?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Burke, 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), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, 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), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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 110 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.6 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 129 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 60 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Burke
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.33 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi SW.
How Burke ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 77th | 65th | 80th | 78th |
| South Dakota | 55th | 99th | 49th | 34th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 67th | 99th | 54th | 42nd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 61% 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 Burke: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Herrick 7 mi · Gregory 7 mi · St. Charles 12 mi · Dallas 12 mi · Bonesteel 19 mi · Platte Colony 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 Burke (43.1828, -99.2923); 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.