city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Sparta, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 74% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (89th percentile) and lowest in summer (57th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.9 mi E, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.0 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sparta?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Aug 31, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans)
- Fall flow: Sep 16 to Sep 30 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sparta, 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 13.
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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, soybeans, garden flowers; 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 931 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.1 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 184 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (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 Sparta
Mostly: North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi E; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 83% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sparta ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 80th | 68th | 81st | 81st |
| Wisconsin | 74th | 75th | 57th | 89th |
| Driftless Area | 60th | 94th | 34th | 99th |
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 Sparta: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Rockland 6 mi · Bangor 10 mi · Melvina 10 mi · Cataract 10 mi · Norwalk 12 mi · Tunnel City 13 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 Sparta (43.9382, -90.8127); 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.