community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Lantry, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 53% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (56th percentile) and lowest in fall (37th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.3 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lantry?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (sunflower, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lantry, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): sunflower, alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); 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
- Sunflower: about 173 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 155 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 72 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.7 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 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 Lantry
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi S.
How Lantry ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 35th | 86th | 80th |
| South Dakota | 53rd | 56th | 54th | 37th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 91st | 77th | 92nd | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Lantry: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dupree 8 mi · North Eagle Butte 10 mi · Eagle Butte 10 mi · Green Grass 12 mi · Isabel 26 mi · Cherry Creek 29 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 Lantry (45.0184, -101.4329); 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.