community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Iron Belt, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 51% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (94th percentile) and lowest in fall (19th). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Iron Belt?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Iron Belt, 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 26.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), spring-flowering shrubs, dandelion; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red; white, likely to stay liquid a long time
- Fall honey (September to November): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, likely to stay liquid a long time
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Iron Belt
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Pine-Hemlock Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0 mi S; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.26 mi N.
How Iron Belt ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 73rd | 81st | 73rd | 34th |
| Wisconsin | 51st | 94th | 37th | 19th |
| Northern Lakes and Forests | 86th | 89th | 81st | 47th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 92% 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 Iron Belt: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Pence 2 mi · Montreal 4 mi · Hurley 6 mi · Saxon 8 mi · Birch Hill 14 mi · Franks Field 17 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 Iron Belt (46.403, -90.3192); 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.