community in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in White Rock Colony, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in summer (77th percentile) and lowest in spring (13th). 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 Colony?
- First forage: Apr 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of White Rock Colony, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans
- 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), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; 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 7,738 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 426 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 Colony
Mostly: Soybeans; Corn; Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow-Prairie-Marsh.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.19 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.34 mi W.
How White Rock Colony ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 90th | 18th | 93rd | 86th |
| South Dakota | 73rd | 13th | 77th | 51st |
| Lake Agassiz Plain | 48th | 57th | 60th | 9th |
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 Colony: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
White Rock 3 mi · Rosholt 6 mi · New Effington 14 mi · Claire City 23 mi · Sisseton 26 mi · Long Hollow 30 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 Colony (45.9106, -96.6359); 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.