community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Lake Koshkonong, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 1% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it ranks highest in fall (28th percentile) and lowest in summer (1st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi S); soybeans (nearest 1.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lake Koshkonong?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early Jul (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Koshkonong, 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): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some 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 353 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 173 acres in a typical year, nearest 2 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 Lake Koshkonong
Mostly: Open water; Soybeans; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.02 mi N; open water 0.02 mi W.
How Lake Koshkonong ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 13th | 30th | 37th | 47th |
| Wisconsin | 1st | 7th | 1st | 28th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | below the 1st | 22nd | below the 1st | 12th |
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 Lake Koshkonong: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Milton 6 mi · Fort Atkinson 6 mi · Edgerton 7 mi · Rockdale 9 mi · Fulton 10 mi · Lake Ripley 11 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 Lake Koshkonong (42.8605, -88.9401); 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.