city in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Chicopee, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 75% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in fall (87th percentile) and lowest in spring (60th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.8 mi NE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); blueberries (nearest 3.7 mi NE); sweet corn (nearest 3.7 mi NE, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Chicopee?
- First forage: Mar 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jul 15, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Aug 1 to Sep 15 (garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Chicopee, 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 6.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra 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
- Corn: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.8 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Blueberries: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi NE, blooms late Apr – late May
- Sweet corn: about 2 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Strawberries: about 3 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi NE, blooms late Mar – late Jun (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 Chicopee
Mostly: Developed, medium intensity; Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards).
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.09 mi SE; pond, lake or river 0.17 mi SE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 79% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Chicopee ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 60th | 68th | 64th | 70th |
| Massachusetts | 75th | 60th | 82nd | 87th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 71st | 59th | 77th | 86th |
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 Chicopee: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Holyoke 4 mi · Springfield 5 mi · West Springfield Town 5 mi · Granby 6 mi · Wilbraham 7 mi · Easthampton 8 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 Chicopee (42.1776, -72.5702); 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.