city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Elkton, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring and summer (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Elkton?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Elkton, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- 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
- Corn: about 2,351 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 752 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Elkton
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.88 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 1.02 mi NE.
How Elkton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 42nd | 94th | 83rd |
| South Dakota | 83rd | 79th | 79th | 45th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 46th | 78th | 45th | 27th |
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 Elkton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Newdale Colony 4 mi · Ward 6 mi · Rolland Colony 9 mi · Bushnell 10 mi · Aurora 11 mi · Pleasant Valley Colony 12 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 Elkton (44.2351, -96.4794); 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.