community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Rosebud, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 24% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in fall (80th percentile) and lowest in summer (20th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 1.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 3.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 3.1 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Rosebud?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 30, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers)
- Fall flow: Oct 16 to Oct 31 (fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster))
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Rosebud, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers; 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
- Alfalfa: about 76 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 176 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 11 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.1 mi NE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 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 Rosebud
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Western Great Plains Sand Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.02 mi N; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi E.
How Rosebud ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 35th | 38th | 55th | 93rd |
| South Dakota | 24th | 69th | 20th | 80th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 54th | 86th | 43rd | 69th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 95% 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 Rosebud: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Two Strike 5 mi · Soldier Creek 8 mi · St. Francis 8 mi · Mission 9 mi · Antelope 11 mi · White Horse 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 Rosebud (43.2387, -100.815); 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.