community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Thornton, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 40% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in fall (58th percentile) and lowest in spring (32nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.3 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Thornton?
- First forage: Mar 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (alfalfa, soybeans)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Thornton, 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 18.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): alfalfa, soybeans, summer-flowering shrubs, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Fall honey (September to November): alfalfa, soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; white, likely to set within weeks to a few months
- Whole season (March to November): alfalfa, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), soybeans, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden); extra light amber, likely to set within weeks to a few months
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 121 acres in a typical year, nearest 0 mi , blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 73 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – early 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 Thornton
Mostly: Laurentian-Acadian Alkaline Conifer-Hardwood Swamp; Laurentian-Acadian Northern Hardwoods Forest; Corn.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.15 mi NE; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.15 mi E.
How Thornton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 68th | 48th | 81st | 65th |
| Wisconsin | 40th | 32nd | 56th | 58th |
| North Central Hardwood Forests | 28th | 44th | 46th | 27th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 51% 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 Thornton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Shawano 6 mi · Gresham 6 mi · Keshena 7 mi · Pella 7 mi · Leopolis 8 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 Thornton (44.7985, -88.6912); 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.