community in Connecticut
Honey bee forage in Lake Chaffee, Connecticut
Estimated forage here is better than about 26% of sites in Connecticut. Against other Connecticut sites it ranks highest in summer (36th percentile) and lowest in spring (16th). Biggest nearby bee crops: alfalfa (nearest 0.4 mi N, grown 4 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 1.8 mi S).
When is the honey flow in Lake Chaffee?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Lake Chaffee, 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): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): summer-flowering shrubs, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): early trees (maple, willow, poplar), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; 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
- Alfalfa: about 23 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi N, blooms late Jun – early Sep (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 22 acres in a typical year, nearest 1.8 mi S, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 5 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 Lake Chaffee
Mostly: Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Appalachian (Hemlock)-Northern Hardwood Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0 mi S; open water 0 mi S.
How Lake Chaffee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 28th | 58th | 43rd | 40th |
| Connecticut | 26th | 16th | 36th | 30th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 18th | 18th | 21st | 18th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 82% 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 Lake Chaffee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Stafford Springs 6 mi · Witches Woods 6 mi · Lake Bungee 7 mi · Storrs 9 mi · Crystal Lake 9 mi · Quasset Lake 11 mi
All towns in Connecticut · 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 Lake Chaffee (41.938, -72.197); 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.