town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Claire City, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 91% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in spring (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Claire City?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Claire City, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 3,293 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 834 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 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 Claire City
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.13 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.38 mi SW.
How Claire City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 95th | 32nd | 95th | 95th |
| South Dakota | 91st | 41st | 85th | 91st |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 63rd | 63rd | 60th | 50th |
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 Claire City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Veblen 9 mi · New Effington 9 mi · Long Hollow 12 mi · Sisseton 14 mi · Clear Lake 16 mi · Lake City 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 Claire City (45.8566, -97.1035); 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.