town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Hudson, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 72% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (85th percentile) and lowest in fall (7th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hudson?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 15, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hudson, 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 8.
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): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra 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 5,139 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 4,200 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi SW, blooms late Jun – 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 Hudson
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.32 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.32 mi S.
How Hudson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 44th | 92nd | 48th |
| South Dakota | 72nd | 85th | 74th | 7th |
| Western Corn Belt Plains | 32nd | 79th | 26th | 65th |
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 Hudson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Fairview 7 mi · Alcester 11 mi · Canton 14 mi · Beresford 17 mi · Worthing 21 mi · Harrisburg 25 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 Hudson (43.1301, -96.4556); 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.