community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Hopkinton, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 71% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in spring (75th percentile) and lowest in summer and fall (63rd). Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow, less than 0.1 mi away.
When is the honey flow in Hopkinton?
- First forage: Mar 1 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Main flow: Apr 1 to Jun 30, peaking early May (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hopkinton, 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, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), 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
No rated bee crops within about 3.7 miles of the town center. The forage here is wild plants, trees and gardens.
The land and water around Hopkinton
Mostly: Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest; North-Central Appalachian Acidic Swamp.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.03 mi NE; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.33 mi SW.
How Hopkinton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 58th | 74th | 59th | 60th |
| Massachusetts | 71st | 75th | 63rd | 63rd |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 67th | 75th | 62nd | 57th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 57% 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 Hopkinton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Cordaville 3 mi · Milford 5 mi · Upton 5 mi · Westborough 6 mi · Hopedale 7 mi · Framingham 7 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 Hopkinton (42.2256, -71.5241); 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.