town in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in White Rock, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (75th percentile) and lowest in spring (19th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (right here, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in White Rock?
- First forage: Apr 16 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of White Rock, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, native wildflowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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
- Soybeans: about 2,385 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 2,214 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jul – 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 White Rock
Mostly: Corn; Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.37 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.43 mi S.
How White Rock ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 89th | 22nd | 93rd | 86th |
| South Dakota | 71st | 19th | 75th | 53rd |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 45th | 65th | 55th | 10th |
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 White Rock: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
White Rock Colony 3 mi · Rosholt 9 mi · New Effington 17 mi · Claire City 26 mi · Sisseton 29 mi · Peever 32 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 White Rock (45.9247, -96.5762); 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.