community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Devens, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in spring (58th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 2.1 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); apples (nearest 3.7 mi NE).
When is the honey flow in Devens?
- 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)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Devens, 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), garden flowers; 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): 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; 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 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 3 mi SE, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
- Apples: about 24 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.7 mi NE, blooms late Apr – late May
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 Devens
Mostly: Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.36 mi NE; pond, lake or river 0.58 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 Devens ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 68th | 63rd | 66th |
| Massachusetts | 71st | 58th | 79th | 77th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 68th | 57th | 74th | 76th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 35% 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 Devens: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Ayer 2 mi · Shirley 3 mi · Groton 5 mi · Lunenburg 7 mi · Littleton Common 7 mi · Leominster 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 Devens (42.5434, -71.614); 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.