community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Swift Bird, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 8% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (68th percentile) and lowest in summer (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: sunflower (nearest 2.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 3.0 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.9 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Swift Bird?
- 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 Swift Bird, 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 12.
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): 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
- Sunflower: about 52 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.4 mi W, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 101 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 38 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi W, 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 Swift Bird
Mostly: Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie; Open water; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.06 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.11 mi NE.
How Swift Bird ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 26th | 38th | 47th | 84th |
| South Dakota | 8th | 68th | 6th | 46th |
| Northwestern Great Plains | 33rd | 86th | 22nd | 28th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 77% 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 Swift Bird: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
La Plant 15 mi · Gettysburg 20 mi · Agar 21 mi · Akaska 22 mi · Lowry 25 mi · Onida 28 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 Swift Bird (45.0601, -100.3545); 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.