community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Caroline, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 63% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (35th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.2 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.2 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Caroline?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Caroline, 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 19.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); 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
- Corn: about 224 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 102 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms early Jul – early Sep (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 Caroline
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Caroline ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 50th | 85th | 74th |
| Wisconsin | 63rd | 35th | 67th | 79th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 51st | 47th | 58th | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 46% 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 Caroline: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Marion 3 mi · Leopolis 4 mi · Pella 4 mi · Tilleda 6 mi · Tigerton 7 mi · Big Falls 10 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 Caroline (44.7232, -88.8986); 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.