city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Lake Andes, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 65% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.5 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Andes?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Andes, 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 7.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, garden flowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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
- Soybeans: about 429 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi W, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 173 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Lake Andes
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.42 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.44 mi E.
How Lake Andes ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 87th | 62nd | 88th | 68th |
| South Dakota | 65th | 98th | 59th | 21st |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 79th | 98th | 72nd | 25th |
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 Lake Andes: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ravinia 6 mi · Lakeview Colony 6 mi · Pickstown 6 mi · Geddes 11 mi · Marty 12 mi · Wagner 14 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 Lake Andes (43.156, -98.5373); 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.