community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Newport Colony, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (61st percentile) and lowest in fall (31st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Newport Colony?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Newport Colony, 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 16.
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): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, 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
- Corn: about 396 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 553 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms early Jul – 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 Newport Colony
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.35 mi SE.
How Newport Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 75th | 36th | 86th | 76th |
| South Dakota | 54th | 61st | 55th | 31st |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 3rd | 70th | 5th | 19th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Newport Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Claremont 4 mi · Langford 7 mi · Sunset Colony 9 mi · Britton 12 mi · Pierpont 14 mi · Westwood Colony 16 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 Newport Colony (45.6791, -97.9328); 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.