city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Shawano, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 54% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (81st percentile) and lowest in summer (50th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.8 mi S); soybeans (nearest 0.8 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Shawano?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking late May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Shawano, 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): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, soybeans, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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 144 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi SW, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 41 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi S, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 5 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 Shawano
Mostly: Open water; Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.02 mi N; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.17 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 62% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Shawano ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 63rd | 79th | 76th |
| Wisconsin | 54th | 65th | 50th | 81st |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 41st | 75th | 38th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Shawano: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Thornton 6 mi · Keshena 6 mi · Bonduel 7 mi · Cecil 7 mi · Legend Lake 9 mi · Embarrass 9 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 Shawano (44.7735, -88.582); 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.