city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Roscoe, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 67% of sites in South Dakota. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other South Dakota sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NE); corn (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.7 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Roscoe?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- 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 Roscoe, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; 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), dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), 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 4,599 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 5,818 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, 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 Roscoe
Mostly: Corn; Soybeans; Open water.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.25 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.28 mi E.
How Roscoe ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 88th | 37th | 91st | 89th |
| South Dakota | 67th | 66th | 67th | 62nd |
| Northwestern Glaciated Plains | 81st | 81st | 79th | 61st |
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 Roscoe: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Hosmer 11 mi · Ipswich 15 mi · Bowdle 16 mi · Blumengard Colony 17 mi · Pembrook Colony 18 mi · Plainview Colony 18 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 Roscoe (45.4501, -99.3367); 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.