town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Ree Heights, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 84% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (82nd percentile) and lowest in fall (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Ree Heights?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, sunflower)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Ree Heights, 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 13.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, sunflower, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), sunflower, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
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 3,928 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 76 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3,685 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early 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 Ree Heights
Mostly: Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi E.
How Ree Heights ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 41st | 95th | 66th |
| South Dakota | 84th | 79th | 82nd | 19th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 49th | 78th | 53rd | 11th |
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 Ree Heights: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Millerdale Colony 9 mi · Miller 11 mi · Highmore 12 mi · St. Lawrence 13 mi · Stephan 22 mi · Wessington 25 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 Ree Heights (44.5158, -99.2005); 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.