community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in La Plant, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (88th percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 2.8 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in La Plant?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Oct 15, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of La Plant, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 12 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi W, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 1 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 La Plant
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Forest .
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.08 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.09 mi W.
How La Plant ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 37th | 38th | 55th | 94th |
| South Dakota | 26th | 70th | 21st | 88th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 56th | 87th | 45th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 95% 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 La Plant: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Swift Bird 15 mi · Whitehorse 16 mi · Akaska 29 mi · Timber Lake 30 mi · North Eagle Butte 30 mi · Mobridge 30 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 La Plant (45.1282, -100.6409); 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.