community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Lewis, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in spring (84th percentile) and lowest in summer (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.1 mi S, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Lewis?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 31, peaking late May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden))
- Fall flow: Aug 16 to Aug 31 (soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lewis, 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 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, clover/Wildflowers, dandelion, alfalfa; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra 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 14 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NW, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late 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 Lewis
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.22 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.33 mi N.
How Lewis ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 73rd | 77th | 70th |
| Wisconsin | 60th | 84th | 46th | 68th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 48th | 89th | 32nd | 36th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 78% 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 Lewis: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Siren 4 mi · Frederic 6 mi · Luck 11 mi · Webster 11 mi · Grantsburg 14 mi · Milltown 15 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 Lewis (45.7219, -92.3922); 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.