community in Massachusetts
Honey bee forage in Hudson, Massachusetts
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Massachusetts. Against other Massachusetts sites it stands out most in fall (78th percentile) and lowest in spring (48th). Biggest nearby bee crops: apples (nearest 2.1 mi N); corn (nearest 2.9 mi N, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Hudson?
- 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, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Hudson, 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, early trees (maple, willow, poplar); 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; 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
- Apples: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.1 mi N, blooms late Apr – early May
- Corn: about 4 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.9 mi N, blooms early Jul – early Aug (grown 2 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 Hudson
Mostly: Central Appalachian Dry Oak Forest; Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Central Appalachian Dry Oak-Pine Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.06 mi W; pond, lake or river 0.08 mi NW.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 86% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
- Bee crops nearby that are often sprayed. Apples: insecticides used on about 77% of surveyed US acres (2025). Figures are from USDA's Agricultural Chemical Use Survey, matched by crop type from the crop map. The survey counts any insecticide use in the crop year (not seed treatments) and doesn't say when; ask nearby growers about spray timing.
How Hudson ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 54th | 65th | 61st | 66th |
| Massachusetts | 62nd | 48th | 71st | 78th |
| Northeastern Coastal Zone | 59th | 46th | 68th | 77th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 30% 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 Hudson: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Marlborough 3 mi · Maynard 6 mi · Clinton 6 mi · Northborough 7 mi · South Lancaster 7 mi · Cordaville 9 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 Hudson (42.3921, -71.5649); 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.