town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Onaka, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (81st percentile) and lowest in spring (59th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.1 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi SW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Onaka?
- First forage: Apr 1 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Onaka, 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); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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
- Soybeans: about 2,576 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,344 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi W, blooms late Jul – late 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 Onaka
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.08 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.38 mi SE.
How Onaka ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 36th | 94th | 88th |
| South Dakota | 85th | 59th | 81st | 61st |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 89th | 79th | 88th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 32% 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 Onaka: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Tolstoy 7 mi · Brentwood Colony 8 mi · Seneca 9 mi · Thunderbird Colony 10 mi · Blumengard Colony 15 mi · Hoven 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 Onaka (45.1912, -99.4647); 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.