community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Oral, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 52% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (right here); sorghum (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Oral?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Sep 15, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Oral, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few 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 362 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 160 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.1 mi S, blooms late 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 Oral
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.14 mi W; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi SE.
How Oral ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 72nd | 44th | 82nd | 88th |
| South Dakota | 52nd | 84th | 50th | 59th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 90th | 95th | 88th | 43rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 53% 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 Oral: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Buffalo Gap 7 mi · Maverick Junction 7 mi · Smithwick 8 mi · Angostura 9 mi · Hot Springs 10 mi · Oelrichs 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 Oral (43.4065, -103.2616); 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.