city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Wessington Springs, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 70% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (100th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 1.4 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.7 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Wessington Springs?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Wessington Springs, 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 10.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans; 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
- Corn: about 1,042 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Sunflower: about 35 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.4 mi SE, blooms early Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 56 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.2 mi N, blooms late Jun – 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 Wessington Springs
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Northern & Central Plains Ruderal & Planted Grassland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.12 mi SW.
How Wessington Springs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 80th | 86th | 86th |
| South Dakota | 70th | 100th | 55th | 52nd |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 21st | 100th | 5th | 31st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Wessington Springs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lane 7 mi · Alpena 12 mi · Woonsocket 15 mi · Spring Valley Colony 16 mi · Virgil 16 mi · Storla 19 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 Wessington Springs (44.0805, -98.5712); 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.