community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Little Eagle, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 42% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (92nd percentile) and lowest in summer (34th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 2.2 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 2.0 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.0 mi N, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Little Eagle?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 15, peaking late May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 1 to Oct 15 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Little Eagle, 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), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), native wildflowers, dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, sunflower; 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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
- Sunflower: about 150 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 189 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi N, blooms early Jul – 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 Little Eagle
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Forest .
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi N.
How Little Eagle ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 52nd | 51st | 64th | 93rd |
| South Dakota | 42nd | 92nd | 34th | 81st |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 76th | 97th | 63rd | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 91% 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 Little Eagle: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
McLaughlin 9 mi · Wakpala 13 mi · Bullhead 15 mi · Kenel 20 mi · Mobridge 20 mi · Timber Lake 22 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 Little Eagle (45.6851, -100.7948); 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.