town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Lake City, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi E).
When is the honey flow in Lake City?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake City, 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 22.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, dandelion; extra 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
- Soybeans: about 115 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 212 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi W, blooms late Jul – 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 Lake City
Mostly: Open water; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Northern & Central Ruderal Meadow.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.05 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi SW.
How Lake City ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 43rd | 80th | 91st |
| South Dakota | 51st | 83rd | 49th | 74th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 2nd | 81st | 2nd | 41st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 50% 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 Lake City: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Clear Lake 3 mi · Eden 7 mi · Veblen 11 mi · Long Hollow 13 mi · Roslyn 16 mi · Britton 17 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 City (45.7248, -97.414); 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.