town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Wakonda, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 97% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (6th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wakonda?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wakonda, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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
- Corn: about 7,612 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 3,856 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jun – late Aug (grown 3 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 Wakonda
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.24 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.38 mi W.
How Wakonda ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 98th | 45th | 97th | 46th |
| South Dakota | 97th | 86th | 94th | 6th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 80th | 84th | 79th | 4th |
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 Wakonda: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Volin 5 mi · Irene 6 mi · Gayville 9 mi · Centerville 11 mi · Mission Hill 11 mi · Viborg 11 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 Wakonda (43.0081, -97.106); 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.