city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Middleton, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 60% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (83rd percentile) and lowest in summer (49th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.0 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.6 mi W, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Middleton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Fall flow: Sep 1 to Sep 30 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Middleton, 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 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, garden flowers, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, alfalfa; 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
- Corn: about 2,613 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi NW, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 796 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.9 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 70 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.6 mi N, blooms late Jun – 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 Middleton
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Open water; Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi S; open water 0.06 mi SW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 89% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Middleton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 76th | 68th | 78th | 77th |
| Wisconsin | 60th | 75th | 49th | 83rd |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 17th | 88th | 10th | 69th |
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 Middleton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shorewood Hills 4 mi · Madison 4 mi · Waunakee 6 mi · Maple Bluff 7 mi · Cross Plains 7 mi · Verona 8 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 Middleton (43.107, -89.5063); 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.