community in Wisconsin
Honey bee forage in Van Dyne, Wisconsin
Estimated forage here is better than about 86% of sites in Wisconsin. Against other Wisconsin sites it stands out most in summer (86th percentile) and lowest in spring (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (right here, grown 3 of the last 5 years); alfalfa (nearest 0.2 mi E, grown 3 of the last 5 years); soybeans (right here, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Van Dyne?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, alfalfa)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Van Dyne, 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 15.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), alfalfa; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); 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): soybeans, alfalfa, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; 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 1,253 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 5 of the last 5 years)
- Alfalfa: about 115 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.2 mi E, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 112 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi E, blooms early Jul – 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 Van Dyne
Mostly: Open water; Corn; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.1 mi E; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.1 mi E.
How Van Dyne ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 83rd | 44th | 89th | 74th |
| Wisconsin | 86th | 25th | 86th | 79th |
| Southeastern Wisconsin Till Plains | 62nd | 50th | 59th | 61st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 33% 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 Van Dyne: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North Fond du Lac 5 mi · Taycheedah 7 mi · St. Peter 8 mi · Fond du Lac 8 mi · Oshkosh 10 mi · Rosendale 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 Van Dyne (43.8862, -88.4978); 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.