community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Bourne, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 83% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in fall (95th percentile) and lowest in spring (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: cranberries (nearest 1.0 mi SE).
When is the honey flow in Bourne?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 16 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Aug 31 (garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bourne, 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 8.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, 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; 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
- Cranberries: about 6 acres in a typical year, nearest 1 mi SE, blooms early Jun – early Jul
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 Bourne
Mostly: Open water; Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Pitch Pine Barrens; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi S; pond, lake or river 0.1 mi N.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 63% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Bourne ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 64th | 69th | 67th | 73rd |
| Massachusetts | 83rd | 60th | 92nd | 95th |
| Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens | 48th | 43rd | 60th | 87th |
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 Bourne: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Monument Beach 1 mi · Buzzards Bay 2 mi · Onset 3 mi · Pocasset 4 mi · White Island Shores 5 mi · Wareham Center 5 mi
All towns in Massachusetts · 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 Bourne (41.732, -70.6158); 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.