village in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Star Prairie, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (90th percentile) and lowest in spring (45th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi W, grown 4 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 2 of the last 5 years); dry beans (nearest 0.5 mi SE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Star Prairie?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Star Prairie, 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 16.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dry Beans; white, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, dry Beans; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, 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 550 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi S, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 179 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Dry beans: about 47 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SE, blooms late Jul – late Sep (grown 1 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 Star Prairie
Mostly: Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.04 mi NW; pond, lake or river 0.04 mi NW.
How Star Prairie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 55th | 87th | 81st |
| Wisconsin | 86th | 45th | 77th | 90th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 80th | 59th | 72nd | 68th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 43% 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 Star Prairie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
New Richmond 5 mi · Deer Park 7 mi · Somerset 8 mi · Amery 11 mi · Osceola 12 mi · Dresser 12 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 Star Prairie (45.1975, -92.5321); 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.