community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Plainview Colony, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in spring (28th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Plainview Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Plainview 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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 8,716 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 1,788 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi S, 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 Plainview Colony
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi N.
How Plainview Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 27th | 95th | 90th |
| South Dakota | 86th | 28th | 84th | 69th |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 89th | 53rd | 89th | 65th |
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 Plainview Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Deerfield Colony 5 mi · Long Lake Colony 9 mi · Ipswich 10 mi · Leola 10 mi · Wetonka 12 mi · Grassland Colony 12 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 Plainview Colony (45.5812, -99.0115); 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.