community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Sicangu Village, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 35% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (30th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 2.5 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.1 mi NW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.2 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sicangu Village?
- First forage: Mar 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), native wildflowers, dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Sep 30, peaking late May (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 Sicangu Village, 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, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), native wildflowers, alfalfa; 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, dandelion; 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
- Sunflower: about 34 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.5 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 15 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 151 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.7 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 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 Sicangu Village
Mostly: Central Mixedgrass Prairie Grassland; Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.11 mi E; open water 0.12 mi NE.
How Sicangu Village ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 44th | 44th | 60th | 92nd |
| South Dakota | 35th | 84th | 30th | 77th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 68th | 95th | 56th | 66th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 90% 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 Sicangu Village: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
St. Francis 19 mi · Rosebud 20 mi · White Horse 21 mi · Antelope 21 mi · Mission 21 mi · Two Strike 22 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 Sicangu Village (43.0138, -100.5757); 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.