community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Downsville, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 89% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (84th percentile) and lowest in spring (42nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Downsville?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Downsville, 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 14.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; 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
- Soybeans: about 1,277 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 3,050 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms late Jul – early 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 Downsville
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Soybeans; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.08 mi S; open water 0.08 mi SE.
How Downsville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 84th | 54th | 88th | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 89th | 42nd | 84th | 64th |
| Driftless Area | 79th | 52nd | 72nd | 67th |
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 Downsville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Menomonie 8 mi · Durand 11 mi · Arkansaw 11 mi · Elmwood 11 mi · Rock Falls 12 mi · Elk Mound 14 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 Downsville (44.7751, -91.9287); 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.