village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Athens, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 61% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (86th percentile) and lowest in spring (41st). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.9 mi S, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Athens?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: May 16 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Athens, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Alfalfa: about 827 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi W, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 143 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 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 Athens
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Corn; Other Hay/Non Alfalfa.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.25 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.26 mi NE.
How Athens ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 53rd | 83rd | 79th |
| Wisconsin | 61st | 41st | 62nd | 86th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 49th | 54th | 52nd | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Athens: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Edgar 10 mi · Stetsonville 12 mi · Fenwood 12 mi · Dorchester 13 mi · Marathon City 13 mi · Abbotsford 13 mi
All towns in Wisconsin · 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 Athens (45.0349, -90.0792); 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.