community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Lower Brule, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 27% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (90th percentile) and lowest in summer (18th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 1.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lower Brule?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lower Brule, 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 11.
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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 1,268 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,439 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (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 Lower Brule
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Open water; Northwestern Great Plains Shrubland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.17 mi W.
How Lower Brule ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 37th | 49th | 54th | 73rd |
| South Dakota | 27th | 90th | 18th | 28th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 58th | 97th | 41st | 10th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Lower Brule: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
West Brule 3 mi · Fort Thompson 9 mi · Reliance 13 mi · Stephan 14 mi · Kennebec 18 mi · Oacoma 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 Lower Brule (44.0741, -99.5838); 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.