community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Manderson-White Horse Creek, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 28% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (21st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.6 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Manderson-White Horse Creek?
- First forage: Mar 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Sep 30, peaking late May (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 16 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Manderson-White Horse Creek, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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; 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; 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
- Alfalfa: about 5 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi E, blooms late Jun – 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 Manderson-White Horse Creek
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains-Black Hills Ponderosa Pine Woodland and Savanna.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi W.
How Manderson-White Horse Creek ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 43rd | 55th | 87th |
| South Dakota | 28th | 83rd | 21st | 57th |
| High Plains | 32nd | 41st | 29th | 89th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 96% 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 Manderson-White Horse Creek: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Porcupine 8 mi · Wounded Knee 9 mi · Oglala 11 mi · Pine Ridge 15 mi · Kyle 20 mi · Batesland 21 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 Manderson-White Horse Creek (43.235, -102.4915); 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.