city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Colome, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (86th percentile) and lowest in fall (15th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi W).
When is the honey flow in Colome?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Colome, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 435 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 276 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 139 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 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 Colome
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.21 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.38 mi E.
How Colome ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 82nd | 45th | 89th | 62nd |
| South Dakota | 60th | 86th | 59th | 15th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 73rd | 90th | 73rd | 18th |
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 Colome: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dallas 10 mi · Winner 11 mi · Gregory 15 mi · Ideal 22 mi · Burke 22 mi · New Witten 22 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 Colome (43.2599, -99.7173); 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.