city in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 85% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (91st percentile) and lowest in summer (61st). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 1.0 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 1.1 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 1.7 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Sun Prairie?
- 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 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Sun 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 12.
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, soybeans, 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; 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, soybeans; 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 2,696 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.3 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 959 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.7 mi NE, blooms late Jun – late Aug (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 Sun Prairie
Mostly: Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.41 mi N; pond, lake or river 0.45 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 93% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Sun Prairie ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 72nd | 83rd | 82nd |
| Wisconsin | 85th | 82nd | 61st | 91st |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 61st | 92nd | 23rd | 84th |
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 Sun Prairie: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Windsor 5 mi · DeForest 6 mi · Cottage Grove 6 mi · Maple Bluff 8 mi · Marshall 9 mi · Monona 10 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 Sun Prairie (43.1826, -89.2378); 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.