city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Woonsocket, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in fall (27th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); sunflower (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Woonsocket?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jun 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Woonsocket, 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, soybeans, 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, sunflower, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), spotted and diffuse knapweed; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, sunflower; 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 1,488 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 242 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jun – late 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 Woonsocket
Mostly: Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Corn; Northwestern Great Plains Riparian Herbaceous.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.19 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.2 mi NW.
How Woonsocket ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 62nd | 92nd | 73rd |
| South Dakota | 85th | 98th | 71st | 27th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 49th | 97th | 28th | 17th |
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 Woonsocket: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lane 8 mi · Forestburg 9 mi · Alpena 10 mi · Letcher 12 mi · Storla 14 mi · Wessington Springs 15 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 Woonsocket (44.0542, -98.2717); 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.