community in Connecticut
Honey bee forage in Storrs, Connecticut
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Connecticut. Against other Connecticut sites it stands out most in summer (68th percentile) and lowest in spring (56th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.6 mi NE, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Storrs?
- First forage: Mar 1 (dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Storrs, 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 9.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), summer-flowering shrubs; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs, garden flowers; 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, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, 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
- Corn: about 33 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.8 mi NW, 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 Storrs
Mostly: Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest; Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.16 mi N; open water 0.17 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 57% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Storrs ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 50th | 66th | 57th | 58th |
| Connecticut | 62nd | 56th | 68th | 65th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 51st | 49th | 55th | 53rd |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 55% 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 Storrs: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Mansfield Center 4 mi · South Coventry 4 mi · Coventry Lake 5 mi · Willimantic 7 mi · South Windham 9 mi · Lake Chaffee 9 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 Storrs (41.8089, -72.2516); 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.